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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23653219">Fate - Lunasa Fomhar</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/benit149/pseuds/benit149'>benit149</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fate/Grand Order</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:00:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>169,729</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23653219</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/benit149/pseuds/benit149</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Connla story #6. After resting from her injuries, Connla needs to figure out what's best for herself while dealing with the enemy known as Aisling. She experiences difficulty in finding her place in Chaldea, so her friends take her out for summer break. Of course, her bad luck never takes a vacation, and she's swept into a new incident. Not only that... she has a class change?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. War of Two - Redux</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 1: War of Two – Redux</strong>
</p>
<p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: This and any future stories involving Connla will assume that you have read all previous stories, so some details already covered there will not be explained here. If you haven't read those, I recommend you do so before this one so you aren't too confused.</p><hr/>
<p>It was a scorching hot day in the middle of colonial America’s western deserts. Since the European migrants who settled in eastern America had not explored these lands yet, there were no viable settlements other than old camps that had long since been abandoned by nomadic Native American tribes. Hundreds of cicadas chirped in unison, and the blaring sun’s incredible heat made the scene all the more desolate and oppressive. Yet somehow, this blasted wasteland that would otherwise be totally silent was the stage for an intense battle.</p>
<p>“Hagalaz!” a seven-year old girl shouted. She thrust her palm forth and sprayed a vicious hailstorm from a Rune she conjured over her hand, aiming it directly at a pair of werewolves that were bearing down on her. Although the beasts were much larger in stature compared to the child warrior, they were easily torn asunder into bloody chunks of meat. Most children her age would have been frightened of such a grisly scene, but she barely reacted to the sight and concentrated on slashing her spear around in an arc. The blade carved through another werewolf’s abdomen and eviscerated it instantly.</p>
<p>While she was preoccupied with dispatching the smaller enemies, her lone partner leapt high over a hovering wyvern and pointed his massive spiked polearm down upon its cranium. The blade cracked through the skull like a broken egg, instantly killing the monster before they both reached the ground. The attack was so violent that it left the dragon’s brains splattered all over the dusty earth. The hooded man was just as complacent as the little girl, not sparing a moment to celebrate his victory because he had to focus on the next wyvern swooping in low for him.</p>
<p>Just then, the girl vaulted off her spear like a high-jump athlete would off a pole, and she elegantly swiped at one of its wings to cut it clean off. The monster lost its equilibrium and howled in both rage and pain while falling towards the man. He grinned at his little partner’s cleverness, then likewise slashed his weapon in a semicircle right as the wyvern passed by him. As quickly as it happened, its neck was severed from the rest of its body and fell in a separate direction from the collapsing bulk. Dust rose around the decapitated corpse, and the pair stood together to observe the dead monsters disappearing in plumes of dark ash.</p>
<p>“Phew…” the girl sighed and wiped her sweating forehead. She felt so woozy that her brain was practically doing somersaults inside her skull.</p>
<p>“You okay?” the monstrous fellow asked in a surprisingly concerned tone. “This kind of heat isn’t good for a kid like yourself.”</p>
<p>She looked up at him. Standing side-by-side, the top of her head just barely reached his waist, and he also sported a long spiked tail that swayed in the arid wind. If she didn’t know him already, she definitely would have been intimidated by such a frightening-looking man. However, they were partners who needed to rely on each other to survive in this wasteland. It also helped that they already shared one of the strongest relationships that two people could have with each other.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about me, Father,” she assured. “We’re Servants, so this isn’t going to kill me.”</p>
<p>“Stop trying to act so tough,” he snapped harshly and turned to take the lead ahead of her. “You just recovered from that pell-mell in Denmark. If you go getting heat stroke on me, you’ll wind up in the same sorry state the next time more of those things attack us.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay. I can use some aquatic Runes to hydrate myself, if needed. Speaking of which, do you need some water?”</p>
<p>“I’m fine. Focus on taking care of yourself first.”</p>
<p>“Mm,” the girl mumbled, then hurried to his side and muttered, “Even so, how in the world did we wind up in this mess?”</p>
<p>“You’re the one who suggested we perform a Rayshift despite knowing the risks. You made our bed, now we have to sleep in it.”</p>
<p>“I know. It’s just bothering me, though…”</p><hr/>
<p>
  <em>Five hours ago…</em>
</p>
<p>A small hand reached up for the door leading to Leonardo Da Vinci’s workshop, then knocked several times. A chirpy female voice exclaimed on the other side, “Come in!”</p>
<p>The child Servant entered, tucking a plushie version of the gruff tailed man beneath her arm, as she approached the genius inventor with a timid expression plastered all over her face. Da Vinci beamed, “Ah, if it isn’t Connla! Are you doing well?”</p>
<p>“I’m much better than before,” the young girl replied. “My injuries are more or less gone, and the hallucinations have settled down.”</p>
<p>“That’s good. I heard you were in the ICU for quite a long time.”</p>
<p>“Um, about that… I understand that I was dreaming about the other ‘me’ for six whole weeks. That means I missed out on everything from the remainder of April and all of May.”</p>
<p>“I know, but it can’t be helped. With the current technology and capabilities we possess, we simply don’t have a way to force your mind back into your body while you’re in that state.”</p>
<p>“I understand that, but I actually want to know if I missed out on much… or at least, anything that I should have been awake to help Master out with.”</p>
<p>Da Vinci raised an eyebrow. She knew that someone as dutiful as Connla would fret about her contributions (or apparent lack thereof) to Chaldea. After a moment, she replied, “You really should learn to give those nerves a rest, missy. The Denmark Singularity might not have been part of Chaldea’s primary objective, but it is important for us to resolve any lesser incidents before they can actually become a genuine threat to humanity. In that case, you and your partners performed a stellar job in doing what you could with the limited resources you had before re-establishing contact with us. On top of that, we got ourselves an amazing Saber after Sigurd made a contract with Ritsuka. In my opinion, your safe return is nothing short of a miracle. Despite your injuries and long coma, all that matters to Ritsuka is that you’re alive and well to fight another day.”</p>
<p>“Hm…” Connla mumbled to herself while listening to Da Vinci’s reassurances. “That’s what a lot of the staff and Servants are telling me…”</p>
<p>“Then you should listen to them. No need to beat yourself up when you should be celebrating the hero’s welcome!”</p>
<p>“I guess…”</p>
<p>“Come now, don’t make such a long face. Only cheery smiles are allowed in my workshop!”</p>
<p>“Uh, okay. I’ll try to lighten up,” the child Servant uttered and stood straight to the point that she appeared rigid. “But that’s not what I came here to discuss with you. There’s actually a bigger problem that I want to deal with, and I’m hoping you could help me out.”</p>
<p>“Of course. Ask away, and let’s see if the cogs in my brain can get going for you,” Da Vinci replied. “I’m in the middle of another project though, so don’t mind me if I just work away while we talk.”</p>
<p>“Sure. It’s about what Lady Brynhildr told Father shortly after I was knocked unconscious. Right before he killed her, he demanded to know who was responsible for the Denialists attempting to rewrite history to their liking, in exchange for assassinating me. Apparently, Lady Brynhildr said the name ‘Aisling’, but I honestly don’t know anyone by such a name.”</p>
<p>“Right, Cu mentioned it to me.”</p>
<p>“And then there’s the implication that Aisling could be the one manipulating my Rayshifts, forcing me to go off-course to an unintended location in order to isolate me from Chaldea.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Roman asked me to look into that,” Da Vinci noted, then frowned slightly. “Unfortunately, other than the initial readings from when you and Mordred Rayshifted, there really wasn’t much for me to work with. There was a dramatic spike in external mana input, as well as a forced change in coordinates, but nothing I could manipulate or work to my advantage. Did anything else seem out of the ordinary when you two were traveling?”</p>
<p>“Well, you know how the tunnel is normally azure and white? That time though, it suddenly changed to a pinkish hue.”</p>
<p>“So you saw a different color than usual?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“That must be a visual indication of Aisling’s interference. If I had to give it an analogy, then Aisling would be like a set of foreign pink-colored tentacles reaching out for you as you travel through the timeline, then wrapping around you and anyone else accompanying you so that they can gently pull you out of the intended trajectory and guide you to a different location.”</p>
<p>Connla shuddered. “That sounds really spooky…”</p>
<p>“It’s just a metaphor. No need to take it so seriously. The real issue is how to make sure this doesn’t happen again in the future.”</p>
<p>“That’s precisely what I’m scared of. What if I was with Master when that happened? If she winds up being isolated or even killed because Aisling was actually targeting me, what would that mean for Chaldea’s mission? It could be over before we know it! I don’t want to be responsible for such a horrible thing!”</p>
<p>Da Vinci sat back in her chair and flipped her pen between her gloved fingers in contemplation. She exhaled a long sigh, then said, “I understand where you’re coming from. I’m sure you’d never know the end of shame if we allowed Ritsuka to be involved in Aisling’s machinations.”</p>
<p>“Right? I want to do something about it before this can potentially spiral out of control. Not just for Master’s sake, but for Chaldea’s as well.”</p>
<p>The inventor shrugged and suggested, “Why not just avoid Rayshifting altogether? If you never go anywhere outside of the facility, then Aisling won’t be able to target you.”</p>
<p>Connla obviously didn’t like that idea, and she made it clear by blurting, “Are you serious? What’s the point of being a Servant if I can’t do any proper fighting?”</p>
<p>“Not every Servant has to enter combat. Take Andersen and Shakespeare for instance. They’re as useless as a Servant can get, but they don’t complain about their utility. In fact, they bask in their own impotence and hide themselves in the library all the time to escape their responsibilities.”</p>
<p>The young Lancer’s mood soured as she grumbled, “Somehow, I think you’re insulting me by lumping me in the same category as them.”</p>
<p>“Ha ha ha! Sorry, that wasn’t my intention! I know you’re fundamentally different from them for one reason only – they’re authors, while you’re a warrior. Anyway, the point is that you shouldn’t force yourself to go with Ritsuka on her missions if you don’t have to. You can always fight and gather materials in the simulator. Those are always helpful in making her Servants stronger. Maybe you should see this as an opportunity to reevaluate your role in Chaldea so that you can enjoy your time here in a safe and healthy environment, rather than risking yourself in dangerous situations you normally can’t handle on your own.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know…” Connla didn’t appear convinced with Da Vinci’s advice. “I feel like that would be ignoring the bigger problem with Aisling. What if there’s a chance that they could go after my friends in order to bait me out?”</p>
<p>“Well, there is that too,” the inventor had to concur with such grim logic. “We already know that Aisling will do anything they can to kill you, and they make especially certain to conceal their real identity and motive even to their own Denialist flunkies. Mordred got dragged into the Denmark incident through pure chance, but that didn’t matter to Aisling.”</p>
<p>“Exactly. I think my job is to find this person and make them pay for their transgressions so that Chaldea can return to its primary mission. It’s just that I don’t want to put any extra burden on Chaldea’s resources when everyone is already hard-pressed with finding the seven primary Singularities. From my understanding, this last Singularity is proving most difficult for everyone because it’s located so far back in human history.”</p>
<p>“You’re right about that. But summer is fast approaching and no one expects to see any hard results anytime soon, so I think everyone’s gearing up to enjoy the holiday while they can. You and I can see this as the break we need to perform an auxiliary investigation into Aisling’s activities.”</p>
<p>“So you’ll help me?”</p>
<p>“Why not? I’m up for solving a mystery myself. What I’m going to need though is raw data that I can work with.”</p>
<p>Connla nodded and suggested, “That’s why I was thinking of performing another Rayshift.”</p>
<p>Suddenly, a third voice interjected, <em>“Have you completely lost your mind?”</em></p>
<p>The doll that she carried was immediately swathed in a red-and-black aura, then a glowing red light burst out and materialized into the tall tailed man. He stood between the pair and glared darkly at the young girl while glowering, “You know damn well that I will not approve of such a mission.”</p>
<p>“But Father-“</p>
<p>“Not another word,” he commanded his daughter, then angrily turned his eyes toward Da Vinci. “You know better than to fill her head with funny ideas, woman.”</p>
<p>“Ah, good morning to you too, Cu Alter,” she greeted him with a saccharine voice that didn’t match the tense atmosphere between them. “If you’re popping in on this conversation, then I trust you’ve been listening the whole time?”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn Alter, the Berserker version of the Celtic hero, folded his arms, narrowed his eyes, and grit his sharpened teeth. “Once I noticed the kid was coming here, I had no choice but to wake up from my nap. God forbid if I let loopy wenches like you string her along without me having a say in the matter.”</p>
<p>“Boy, you sound especially grouchy today. Was Medb harassing you again?”</p>
<p>“Quit trying to change the subject. I’m not going to allow Connla to Rayshift anymore, and that’s final.”</p>
<p>“So that means you’re going to ignore the fact that Aisling is still lurking out there?”</p>
<p>“I’ll do something about it,” Cuchulainn said. His argument hardly sounded convincing to them, and their displeased expressions irritated him further.</p>
<p>“Father, please listen,” Connla implored while desperately grabbing his wrist. “I know how dangerous it is for me. The Denmark Singularity has taught me a lot about needing to be careful about Aisling and the Denialists. At the very least, I won’t Rayshift alone ever again. I’ll be sure to ask the other Servants and see if they want to come along. I bet a lot of them will turn me down because of the risks though. If that happens, then I’ll cancel the mission.”</p>
<p>“And what if enough of them agree to accompany you? What happens if they wind up being killed? Do you have any idea how difficult it is for Master to summon some of us in the first place? Resummoning lost Servants will be downright impossible in the time constraints that Chaldea has. If you’re going to have such ridiculous ideas, then save them for after we impale the King of Mages’ head on a pike. He should be our primary concern, not Aisling.”</p>
<p>“When is that going to happen?”</p>
<p>“Who knows?”</p>
<p>Connla fidgeted her hands together, trying to think of anything she could argue back with. She found it most difficult to hold a reasonable debate with the intimidating man, so her words often faltered when he stood firm on an opinion or idea he had. The fact that they were father and daughter overwhelmed her further, as she felt obligated to respect his wishes. She gave up trying to reason with him and became increasingly crestfallen as she stared down at the floor.</p>
<p>“… I understand,” she murmured sullenly.</p>
<p>Cuchulainn noticed the dramatic shift in her attitude and creased his eyebrow in concern. He was glad that she listened to him, yet he couldn’t shake this nagging feeling after watching her be so melancholic all the time. He thought about what had transpired in the last week…</p><hr/>
<p>A few days after Connla was discharged from the ICU, she had gone around asking everyone if they needed her assistance with anything, but she was constantly turned down on account of her recovery. Cuchulainn knew that she wanted to make up for the time she felt she had wasted sleeping, but no one was giving her any opportunities to be useful around Chaldea. Even if she attempted to enter the simulator, several Servants were stationed there in order to monitor her. At best, she was allowed to do the lowest-ranked simulation battles, and only against Archer-class opponents.</p>
<p>The more Connla was denied chances to make up for lost time, the more withdrawn she became from everyone. This became evident in her gloomy attitude as she barely made eye contact with anyone lately, she refused to eat much, and she lost interest in her usual hobbies like studying and reading. One day, it was Jack and Nursery Rhyme who approached Connla and offered to let her hang out with them as they watched a marathon of old cartoons. Normally the Lancer would turn them down, but this time she accepted, which surprised them. During the entire session, she just sat down cross-legged on a large bean bag, draped a thick blanket over her shoulders, and emptily gazed at the television screen without responding much to the other girls’ usual antics.</p>
<p>In the early evening, Cuchulainn had returned from a mission to check on his daughter. After some searching, he found the three girls engaged in their activities and would have left them be, but he couldn’t ignore how vapid and uninterested Connla looked.</p>
<p>“Hey, you two,” he called out to Jack and Nursery in a quiet whisper before beckoning them over.</p>
<p>“Huh? Connla’s Daddy?” Jack wondered as she and her friend went out into the hall to meet him.</p>
<p>“Good evening, Mr. Cu,” Nursery greeted him. “Are we being too loud again?”</p>
<p>“That’s not it,” he muttered. He shifted his eyes toward Connla, then asked, “How’s the kid doing?”</p>
<p>The bubbly story-telling girl suddenly became bothered as she replied, “Hmm… Not very well, if you ask me.”</p>
<p>“What’s the matter?”</p>
<p>“We’ve been trying to keep her entertained since no one else wants to let her help out. In fact, she keeps saying that some people tell her to act like a child and have fun, while others are telling her to just be her usual mature self.”</p>
<p>“What a bunch of meanies,” Jack grumbled. “She’s being told different things, so she’s super confused about what it is she should be doing. We really don’t know what to say to cheer her up anymore.”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn exhaled a bitter sigh, then murmured, “I see…”</p>
<p>“It’s like she’s falling down a rabbit hole into her own Wonderland, but there’s no bottom to be seen,” Nursery added. “Is she going to be treated like this all the time? Is she going to be benched for life like the author boys are?”</p>
<p>“Master doesn’t ‘bench’ anyone. She simply keeps us around for situations where our skills and knowledge will come in handy. And I think everyone is being cautious of relying on Connla due to what happened to her and Mordred. They’re afraid that they might wind up pushing her too far again, which would then get me upset.”</p>
<p>“Oh, so that’s it!” Jack exclaimed. “No one actually cares about Connla! They just want to protect themselves from your wrath!”</p>
<p>“Hey, don’t say that so loudly! Do you want her to hear that!?” Nursery chided.</p>
<p>“Ah…”</p>
<p>They glanced back in the play room, but found that Connla hadn’t moved from her spot whatsoever. From what they could tell, she hadn’t heard Jack’s outburst, which was a relief for them. Cuchulainn folded his arms, then said, “I got it. I’ll go around and talk to everyone. Could you two stay with her for a while? Maybe get her to help you guys with fun activities like baking or arts and crafts? She needs to learn how to engage in more innocent activities like those, and you two are the best for that job.”</p>
<p>“Of course!” Nursery agreed. “I’ve been hunkering for cookies lately. Maybe we can have Mr. Emiya or Mrs. Boudica show us how to make some tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“Yay, cookies!” Jack jumped with joy. “And cake and ice cream and candy and soda floats! And then more cartoons!”</p>
<p>“Right, right, whatever floats your boat,” Cuchulainn dismissed the young Assassin’s enthusiasm and walked away. “Just keep the kid busy while I deal with this little problem.”</p>
<p>Satisfied that the girls would take care of Connla for now, he went around asking the staff and Servants to let her be more proactive in Chaldea’s daily activities, as well as to stop treating her like a child when she really had the mind of an adult. Many were hesitant, but some relented and offered to help her overcome her depression in any way they could. Despite his best efforts though, Connla’s mood had not improved much over the next several days, which made Cuchulainn think that there was something else she was worrying about.</p>
<p><em>This is getting ridiculous,</em> he thought as he (while inside the Mini-Cu plushie) watched Connla organize a bookshelf in Charles Babbage’s laboratory. <em>I’ve convinced a lot of staff and Servants to let her help out, but she’s still not showing any signs of recovering from her depression. Is there something else I’m missing?</em></p>
<p>Since he had no clue what else she could be troubled by, he decided to wait patiently inside the doll and see if Connla would reveal her worries to someone else eventually. That led to her approaching Da Vinci and having the current conversation about Aisling, which was what she had actually been deeply pondering about the whole time. She had found a small glimpse of hope in escaping these dark emotions, yet Cuchulainn’s staunch refusal to let her perform an experimental Rayshift had pushed her back into the brink of despair. All of the effort he had spent trying to make her feel better was utterly foiled.</p>
<p>As far as he was concerned, there wasn’t much point in Connla being kept safe if she was going to be so miserable all the time.</p><hr/>
<p>“Wait.”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn uttered that one word before he realized it, and it was much too late to take it back now. Connla was about to saunter away, but then stopped and looked up at him while mumbling, “Hmm?”</p>
<p>“You said you wouldn’t Rayshift alone, right?”</p>
<p>“Yes, absolutely.”</p>
<p>“Then it’ll be fine if someone reliable goes with you. Someone like me, for example.”</p>
<p>Her eyes seemed to brighten up a little. “Huh? Then does that mean…?”</p>
<p>“Only on one condition,” he replied firmly as he glared at Da Vinci. “If Aisling really does mess with the Rayshift, then you better get all the data you can and tackle this problem as soon as possible. I’m only giving you one Rayshift to experiment with. If you screw around and don’t find a solution, then you can forget that this conversation ever happened.”</p>
<p>“Hee hee. One Rayshift is all I need,” the inventor grinned. “I have all the tools I need to perform the analysis. All I need is the data.”</p>
<p>“So you’re saying you’ve got a plan in mind?”</p>
<p>“Are you forgetting who you’re talking to? A genius like me would have three ideas instead of just one. I have to narrow down my options though, and for that, we need this experiment to happen.”</p>
<p>“Fine. We’re getting ready, Connla.”</p>
<p>The child Lancer jolted and exclaimed, “Y-Yes, right away! Just give me a few minutes!”</p>
<p>She dashed out of the workshop, while the two adults headed for the Spiritron Coffin chamber where Rayshifts were performed. Da Vinci registered Connla as Cuchulainn’s Servant in his Bloodstone, then hooked it up to a coffin so that the Servants could Rayshift without their Master. While she was busy, Cuchulainn let out a small grunt and muttered, “Gotta say, that’s the first time I’ve seen Connla’s eyes light up like that in a while. She’s literally putting herself in danger, yet she’s skipping around like a child at a candy store. I swear, how many screws are loose in that little head of hers…?”</p>
<p>Da Vinci wondered, “If I may ask, what exactly made you change your mind?”</p>
<p>“Well,” he sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “Let’s just say I’ve grown sick of watching the kid be so gloomy and depressing all the time. I’m probably not the best parent around, but even I know that I should do what I can to make sure she’s happy.”</p>
<p>“My. Those are rather unexpected words for the Mad King to say.”</p>
<p>“Shut it.”</p>
<p>“He he. Well, it’s not a bad thing to see Cuchulainn’s softer side, even if it’s from his Alter self. Your other selves are probably too busy looking for women and good fights to think about such mature things. Could it be that you represent a time when Cuchulainn finally came around as a real man during his twilight years?”</p>
<p>“I told you to shut it. If there’s something you don’t understand about that phrase, I’ll be happy to elaborate on it,” Cuchulainn retorted as he summoned the spike-covered Gae Bolg in his hand.</p>
<p>“Uh oh. Did I push too many of your buttons again?” Da Vinci murmured uneasily. “I swear, it’s becoming dangerously easy for me to get on your bad side lately.”</p>
<p>“Is it just me, or do you enjoy listening to the sound of your voice? That’s what I can’t stand about women.”</p>
<p>“Oh, come on. It’s not just women who like to talk, right? I know a couple of kings who could give us chatty maidens a run for our money.”</p>
<p>Just then, they heard the distinct pitter-patter of a child’s footsteps running into the chamber. Connla hurried back as quickly as she could after getting ready, and noticed that the two adults were having yet another confrontation with each other. She became annoyed and pouted, “Hey, no arguing! Can’t I leave you guys alone without worrying about sparks flying between you!?”</p>
<p>Da Vinci’s smile became brighter as she said to Cuchulainn, “You heard the lady.”</p>
<p>“Right,” he repressed a chortle and dematerialized his spear. “Let’s get this job over quickly.”</p><hr/>
<p>
  <em>The present…</em>
</p>
<p>“Hmm… Hmnn… Come on, work already,” Connla grumbled as she fiddled with a transceiver. Cuchulainn leaned his back against a boulder while impatiently waiting for his daughter to get the device working. After she turned some dials and knobs to get the right frequency, the image of a familiar orange-haired young man flickered on the crackling monitor.</p>
<p>“Dr. Roman!” she exclaimed.</p>
<p>“All right, we’re finally connected!” Romani Archaman, the chief doctor and Acting Director of Chaldea, beamed happily.</p>
<p>“Thank goodness,” she sighed in relief. “I thought for sure that Ms. Da Vinci’s communicators wouldn’t work.”</p>
<p>“I was kinda worried too, but she pulled through for us once again. Glad you’re doing okay, missy. Unlike with Ritsuka, we can’t monitor Servants’ vitals, so seeing you guys in person will help me relax a lot more.”</p>
<p>“The hell you talking about?” Cuchulainn grumbled. “You’re not talking in person. You’ve got your ass parked in a safe, cushy office. Who the hell do you think you are, acting all whimsical while the kid and I are busting our hides in this hellhole?”</p>
<p>“Erk… Well, guess I can’t really argue that…”</p>
<p>“I’m only saying that because Connla’s too soft-hearted to notice such things.”</p>
<p>“Then when you get back, I’ll apologize by treating you to some of my favorite anpan. How does that sound, kiddo?” Roman asked the child Servant.</p>
<p>“Apologies, but I’m not fond of sweets,” she shook her head. “Mr. Emiya told me you had a stash of specialty Japanese coffee though. I’d like to give that a try instead.”</p>
<p>“Wha-!? That jerk! How did he find out about that!? Doesn’t he know how much that’s going to cost me!?”</p>
<p>“Hey,” Cuchulainn grunted and squatted next to Connla before whispering, “You sure you can accept something from such a worthless human being?”</p>
<p>“Don’t say that,” she said anxiously. “Dr. Roman might look unreliable, but he really is trying his hardest.”</p>
<p>Roman winced, “Ouch. You know I have feelings, right?”</p>
<p>“Oh. Was that too harsh?”</p>
<p>“Hm… Nah, I’ll let it slide since you help us out so much with menial chores. Besides, we’ve got more important things to worry about, so let’s cut the chitchat short.”</p>
<p>“Mm. Could you tell us what the analysis of our situation is?”</p>
<p>“Well first of all,” Roman said as he held up a paper with some handwritten notes, “there’s no question that Aisling meddled with your Rayshift again. Your destination was supposed to be in the Roman Empire in 60 AD, which was the location of the Second Singularity. However, you’ve been thrown into colonial America in 1784, one year after the Fifth Singularity was resolved by us.”</p>
<p>“No wonder the atmosphere feels so familiar,” Connla looked around. “I wasn’t summoned yet, so there’s no way I could have participated in the actual Fifth Singularity mission. But even so, it’s like I’m back in a world that I already know.”</p>
<p>“Because of your first long dream?”</p>
<p>“I think so. Memories are flooding back into me from my other self’s time when she was split as Ituha and Fia-Leanbh. In fact, this is definitely territory that Ituha once crossed before.”</p>
<p>“Then that helps a lot,” Roman replied. “My navigational sensors are telling me that you’re in the area near where Lubbock will be in the future. In other words, you’re way out in the boonies.”</p>
<p>“That’s not really a problem. I’m used to living in remote locations.”</p>
<p>“That’s not the issue here. If Aisling directly warped you two to that spot, then it means the monsters you fought were either sent by them, or were already there and you were just dumped into the heart of the lion’s den with no time to prepare.”</p>
<p>“Hah. Big mistake if they think those worthless creatures will be any match against me,” Cuchulainn grinned.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t get so cocky if I were you, big guy. I’m doing a large-scale sweep of the area for any more monster lifeforms, and I’m picking up quite a huge number of them to the east. Even worse, they’re congregating around the largest Leyline that we can find in your vicinity. I can’t really say with absolute certainty, but I think that’s precisely why Aisling directed you to this place. First they isolate Connla, then overwhelm the Leyline so that she can’t establish a summoning circle, leaving her vulnerable to assassination without being able to rely on backup from us. That’s exactly what happened in Denmark, and it’s happening here too.”</p>
<p>Connla sighed glumly, then said, “I don’t know what their motive is for wanting me dead, but I’m glad we’re at least picking up on their characteristics now. So then, Doctor, what do you suggest we do at this point?”</p>
<p>“We’ve got two options,” Roman explained. “First is to attempt a forced Rayshift. The probability of failure is very high, but it’s the best way to deal with this without expecting you two to face a gigantic horde of monsters by yourselves.”</p>
<p>“What exactly do you mean by ‘failure’?”</p>
<p>“There are just way too many unknown variables to calculate. The best case scenario is that your Spirit Origins will be put through a tremendous strain, and you will both be put on strict watch before being able to Rayshift again. At worst, Cuchulainn’s Bloodstone will shatter, and you’ll both be lost as Ritsuka’s Servants.”</p>
<p>“Uuuh… I’d rather not do that if we can avoid it,” Connla whimpered.</p>
<p>Cuchulainn leaned in and asked, “So what’s the second option?”</p>
<p>Roman said, “We know your coordinates, and there is a destination that you can make your way to. Of course, like I said, there’s a huge mob of monsters like the ones you fought surrounding the Leyline. My best guess is that they are sustaining themselves with the planet’s natural mana sources. The timeline may be correcting itself, but there are still distinct fluctuations which allow for monsters to exist, which could become a problem if we leave it alone for too long.”</p>
<p>“Is that all?” the Berserker boldly grinned. “Give us the coordinates then. The kid and I will bust some heads to both clean up the place and to reclaim the Leyline. Two birds, one stone, right?”</p>
<p>“Are you crazy!? I can’t say with certainty how many monsters there will be, but I’m sure it’ll be in the thousands!”</p>
<p>“Big deal. I held back all of Connacht’s army by myself.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, <em>you</em> may have, but Connla most certainly hasn’t!”</p>
<p>“Quit screaming and give us the directions already, you sissy.”</p>
<p>“S-Sissy?”</p>
<p>“Please tell us, Doctor,” Connla urged. “I think it’s the safer option for us right now.”</p>
<p>“Oh boy… Let me tell you right now that it’ll take 48 hours for you to reach the Leyline by foot.”</p>
<p>“That would be if Master was with us. If it’s Father and myself, we could make it there in half the time.”</p>
<p>“That’s true. Ritsuka doesn’t praise you and the other Cuchulainns as her most light-footed Servants for nothing. If you’re that set on it, then you guys better get going. Once you’re in the vicinity of the Leyline, I’ll contact you again with further information.”</p>
<p>“Yes, sir.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. True Berserker</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 2: True Berserker</strong>
</p><p>A thick snowstorm rolled through an unknown city during the late hours of the night. Everywhere one looked, large clumps of fluffy white powder sprinkled around them like someone was getting careless with a shaker full of icing sugar. At least four inches of snow had piled up while everyone slept, which would cause a great deal of inconvenience for those who needed to shovel it out of the way. At the moment though, the vast majority of this city’s residents were fast asleep, so virtually no one was around to observe the snowstorm blanketing their home in layers of white…</p><p>Nor did anyone get to see the volley of fireballs hurtling straight for a sword-wielding warrior.</p><p>The young man valiantly swung his longsword in an arc, disintegrating the blazing projectiles with nothing but his raw strength. He grimaced and darted his eyes around in search of his opponent.</p><p>
  <em>Where are you hiding this time?</em>
</p><p>He raised his sword in a defensive stance and looked around. From what he could tell, he was standing in some school courtyard, although the lawns and racing track were lost beneath the layers of snow. His metal boots crunched the snow beneath his feet, and his messy hair billowed in the steady wind. He wore black and white clothing beneath silver armor, along with a white cape that had a cerulean underside that popped into a distinct collar around his neck. He looked incredibly similar to the male version of Fujimaru Ritsuka, except that the black hair sported random streaks of white around his forehead and nape of his neck.</p><p>The swordsman narrowed his crystal blue eyes and concentrated on seeking his foe out. He had retreated from a different battlefield and lured his enemy over to the school, where he felt there was a lower likelihood of innocent civilians getting involved in this skirmish.</p><p>“… <strong><em>THERE!</em></strong>”</p><p>He let out that cry the moment he whirled around and swung his blade, intercepting a spear that was swinging downward over his head. The newcomer tossed about to the side in midair and landed several feet away from the young man. He had been experiencing difficulty with finding his enemy because she was wearing a full set of wolf-themed armor and clothing that was completely colored white, which helped her blend in with the copious amount of snow surrounding them. Not only that, she was the fastest Servant out of the seven summoned in this unknown Holy Grail War. Since the swordsman already knew she wasn’t Assassin, it meant she had to be…</p><p>“That’s enough, Lancer,” he declared firmly. “You’re hurt much too badly to continue this fight.”</p><p>He said this because even though the small-statured Lancer was completely decked in pure white clothes, several open gashes on her skin dyed them with deep red splotches. Even so, Lancer got into her combat stance and said in a horribly warped voice, “I tHinK nOt. My OrdErS aRe tO eLimInATe yOu fRoM thE wAr, SaBeR… Or sHouLd I sAy, tHe KinG oF FraNKs, CharLEmaGnE?”</p><p>“I already told you that you can call me Charlie. We’re the same, aren’t we?”</p><p>“DoN’t bE aBSuRd. We ArE fAmIliArS suMMoNeD fOr tHe sOLe puRPosE oF cOMbaT. UnLeSs oUr MaStErs wIlL iT, wE caNNoT reGArD eAcH oTheR aS aNYthInG otHeR tHaN fiErCe riVAls.”</p><p>“Well I’m not going to kill you. Not until I find out your True Name, anyway,” Charlemagne declared.</p><p>“YoU’rE waStIng yOUr tiME.”</p><p>“We’ll see about that. I’ve made strong connections with the other Servants, regardless if we’re enemies. You’re the only one I know nothing about, and that bothers me a lot. Are you distorting your voice because your Master told you to do so?”</p><p>“WhAt iF I Am?”</p><p>“Then I’ll just have to break through and find out for myself! You can’t hide your identity from me forever! No matter what it takes, I <em>will</em> find out who you are! Now, <em>en garde</em>, Lancer!”</p><p>Charlemagne raised his sword Joyeuse and rushed to meet Lancer in battle. He dashed in low and swung his blade, but she hopped over him like a rabbit and flipped upside-down before conjuring a Ken Rune and hurtling backwards with a powerful gust of wind. As he tried to skid to a stop, she went on the offensive this time and thrust her spear multiple times at his head. It took every ounce of focus he had just to parry each strike, which he noted were very well-aimed and deadly despite his opponent being so petite. He actually seemed to compare Lancer’s fighting style to some form of dancing, further piquing his curiosity.</p><p>Charlemagne soon found an opening and bounded in until his face was inches away from Lancer’s full face-covering helmet, so he couldn’t see her astonished expression as he swung upward and sent her sailing back in a wide arc. A large tornado surrounded him for a few seconds, pushing aside all of the snow around him so that he stood on solid pavement once more. To his shock though, Lancer created a small platform Rune while she was spiraling in midair, and she bounced off it to get back in his range.</p><p>“<em>Merde!</em>” the French hero cursed as he blocked Lancer’s spear again, but he didn’t appear frustrated at her more than he was with his own incompetence. He actually smiled as he exclaimed, “To think you have made the air itself your ally! I’m really impressed!”</p><p>She didn’t respond whatsoever as she flipped over him and landed back on her feet. Then she stood tall and pointed her polearm at the four cardinal points on the ground, which generated shining red Runes that engulfed her. Charlemagne sensed that Lancer’s stats were dramatically improving the moment the crests activated, and he also recognized the pattern from his own studies into other folklores.</p><p>“Ath nGabla, the Rune of Vows!” he yelped. “So you really are a Celt!”</p><p>Lancer remained silent and got into an elegant fighting stance. The whole world around them grew deathly quiet, and every hair on Charlemagne’s skin stood on end. The snow flowing around them changed direction so that they swirled into a noticeable tornado around her. Her spear shone, and the Saber noticed that small bits of light were congregating into the weapon.</p><p><em>“Concealed identities… Blinking vignettes… Unsolved mysteries…”</em> Lancer murmured. She had dropped the distorted voice and spoke in a breathy whisper so that she sounded older than she actually was.</p><p>In a panic, Charlemagne stepped back and got into position himself as he realized, <em>A Noble Phantasm!</em></p><p>He had no choice but to activate his own strongest attack, and he produced a series of weapons that glowed like blue wings around his back as he floated above her. He held Joyeuse high and shouted, “The holy light that shall never fade, the glowing colors of infinite changing form!”</p><p>Orbs of different colored lights twirled around him like a rainbow and congregated upon his sword as he continued, “Carve your legends into this blade to prove my Kingly heroics!”</p><p><em>“Return from the void and be the wind that guides my nameless spear,”</em> Lancer muttered her own chant as the countless souls of forgotten heroes and ordinary people who lost their lives in this Holy Grail War responded to her summons and blessed her with their combined power. <em>“March with me, for we are Heroes Without Legend!”</em></p><p>Charlemagne’s ‘wings’ morphed into larger versions of his sword and pointed at her on his mental command. Lancer crouched like a sprinter waiting for the signal gun and glared into his eyes.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Joyeuse-”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Laoch Gan-“</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Lancer suddenly stopped as she was calling out the name of her Noble Phantasm, letting out a small gasp of dismay. Her spear immediately lost all the energy it had built up and fell out of her hand. Charlemagne realized her drastic change in attitude, but was unable to cancel his Noble Phantasm.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“ORDRE!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Before she knew it, the larger blades shot for her like colorful bullets and ruthlessly gouged through her small body. They exploded together in a chromatic spectacle, violently throwing her way across the courtyard until she slammed her back against the wall of the gymnasium. Massive amounts of blood spattered around her in a perfect circle before she slumped onto her buttocks and sat there in a miserable heap of carved flesh and viscera.</p><p><em>“LANCER!”</em> she heard Charlemagne scream in desperation from a distance away. He landed back on the ground and ran straight for his fallen opponent. Once he found her, he discovered that most of her armor was destroyed, including her helmet so that he could get a good look at her face for the first time since this war started. His shock from using his Noble Phantasm against an unguarded foe was exacerbated when he saw that Lancer was actually a seven-year old girl with short purple hair and soft brown eyes. Indeed, she was none other than the Child of Cuchulainn, Connla, although there was no way for Charlemagne to know this since she didn’t possess anything notable that would give her identity away to him.</p><p>“A child Servant, in a Holy Grail War…?” he uttered pitifully.</p><p>Connla tilted her head just enough to glance up at Charlemagne. Her injuries were so horrific that words couldn’t begin to describe them. She knew she wouldn’t last much longer, but she wanted to at least tell him what was going on.</p><p><em>“</em>You…<em> Why did you stop!?”</em> Charlemagne shouted feverishly, not out of anger, but of deep concern for his fellow Servant. Even though they were supposed to be enemies in this war, that didn’t stop him from viewing even his opponents as incredible heroes. The fact that a child Servant had pushed him so far that he needed to use his Noble Phantasm on her certainly won her a lot of respect from him, so he was utterly devastated to see that she had refused to counter his strongest attack with her own.</p><p>“It was… my Master’s… order…” was the gurgled, barely audible reply.</p><p>“What!?”</p><p>“Y-Your Master… has taken… my Master’s… family member… hostage…”</p><p>Charlemagne clenched his teeth in despair and cried out, “No… No, this can’t be right! My Master would never do anything like that!”</p><p>“An order… is an… order. Your Master… will let… their hostage… free… so long as… my Master… commands me… to die…”</p><p>“That’s insane! You took my Noble Phantasm to save someone else’s life!?”</p><p>“It doesn’t… matter… anymore,” Connla sighed. “I was… the weakest Servant… in this war… anyway…”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” the young king implored and kneeled next to her. “You were amazing. You’re too awesome for me to put into words. I’m honored to have met such a great opponent in battle. I just wish we could have been allies, or even friends instead. I’ll do what I can to help you, so don’t give up!”</p><p>Right as he said this though, his eyes suddenly widened in horror as he felt his body move against his will. He raised Joyeuse before him and pointed the blade at Connla’s throat.</p><p>“Master… No, please don’t… Don’t make me do this!” he begged to someone who wasn’t present. He was so desperate to stop himself that tears streamed out of his eyes. “WHY!? <em>Why are you going so far to get rid of Lancer!?</em>”</p><p>Connla stared at Charlemagne, understanding that his Master had used a Command Spell to force him to kill her. A bitter smile crept over her bleeding lips, and she raised her good arm so that the palm of her hand faced the side of her head. An Ansuz Rune materialized over it, and a small burst of flames emanated from it.</p><p>“Lancer?” Charlemagne yelped pitifully. “W-What are you…?”</p><p>“… Saber…”</p><p>That was the last thing she said before casting a deadly fireball directly at her skull, blasting it apart with an explosion of searing flames. This hadn’t been an order from her Master – she committed suicide on her own terms so that she could spare Charlemagne the guilt of getting her blood on his hands. The death certainly looked gruesome, but it was actually quick and painless for her. The remainder of her body slumped onto its side, then shone before gradually vanishing in a beautiful spectacle of glittering white and green sparkles.</p><p>With his Master’s Command Spell rendered invalid, Charlemagne regained control of his body and stared at the disappearing corpse in total anguish. Lancer was one of the first Servants to die in this unknown Holy Grail War, and he knew fully well that murdering other Servants was a necessary evil in order for his Master to obtain the Holy Grail. Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to hate any of the other Servants unless they proved that they were irrevocably evil. No matter what, Charlemagne saw his peers as inspirations for him to keep working harder at being a Servant, and he prayed that there was some way he could get them all to work together on a different solution rather than slaughter each other like this.</p><p>Connla had kept her identity hidden behind her full white armor up until this particular fight, so Charlemagne really had no idea who he had fought in previous skirmishes with her. While he already figured out the other five Servants’ identities, Lancer’s True Name remained elusive to him. Due to her stubbornness to remain silent about herself, he so badly wanted to know what her history was to make her such an awesome opponent at her young age.</p><p>But… he would never get to find out.</p><p>The Grail War’s true nature finally became apparent to Charlemagne. The mystery Lancer had been ruthlessly butchered, solely because she was an enemy Servant, not because of any wrongdoing that she had committed. In his opinion, such a brutal death should be reserved for the worst of villains, not for a victim of chance like Connla. If that was how the rest of the war was going to play out – if that was how his Master was going to do to win the Grail - then Charlemagne didn’t know what to do. All he could do was grab his messy black hair, arch his back so that he stared at the snowing heavens, and unleash a terrible scream.</p><p><em>“Aah… AAGH… <strong>HWAAAaaAaaAaaaAAaaaaaAAAaaaAAAHHH!</strong></em>”</p>
<hr/><p>“… Mn…”</p><p>The bleeping of summer crickets roused Chaldea’s Connla awake from her slumber. Her back felt painfully stiff, so she craned her neck and shoulders a few times to get them limber again before opening her eyes. It was still the middle of the night, although the first morning light was quickly approaching, and the fire she made earlier had long since died out. She remembered that she had sat back against a large tree and fell asleep while Cuchulainn was out on patrol. However, she couldn’t recall placing something heavy on her lap, plus it was making some kind of strange grinding noise at rhythmic intervals, so she looked down to see what it was.</p><p>“Hnnn… Hnnn… Hnnn…”</p><p>Unbeknownst to Connla, Cuchulainn returned from his investigation and decided to get some sleep after determining that they were safe. He had laid on his side in front of her and placed his head on her lap to use it as a makeshift pillow. The strange sound she heard was actually his light snoring.</p><p><em>Oh my,</em> she thought in mild surprise. The sight startled her awake, and she wanted to get up without disturbing him. Slowly but surely, she shuffled aside and gently placed his head on the grass before crawling away and staggering to her feet. Her muscles felt so stiff that she needed to perform some exercises. The cool, fresh air helped improve her mood, although she couldn’t fully shake the anxiety that welled within her after experiencing such a terrifying dream of yet another one of her selves.</p><p>
  <em>Saber…</em>
</p><p>Connla couldn’t imagine what Charlemagne was going through. She wasn’t sure if this alternate world was occurring right now or if it was an event that already transpired, but the only thing she cared about was that it <em>happened</em>. There was no doubt about it; her other self had been forced to die in front of someone who wanted to be her friend, regardless if they were rival Servants. In particular, Connla couldn’t let go of the piercing scream that echoed throughout the skies, which was the last thing she heard before being disconnected from that world and waking up.</p><p>The young Lancer found a small stream nearby and splashed some cold water on her face, then smacked her cheeks and thought, <em>No, I shouldn’t let it get to me. Whatever happened to her, there’s nothing I can do about it. I just need to focus on my job here and get back to Chaldea as soon as possible. I can worry about writing an entry for that dream later.</em></p><p>She stared up at the gradually brightening sky with resolve in her eyes.</p><p>
  <em>I’m sure that’s what Saber and my other self would want me to do…</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Two hours later, Cuchulainn woke up and reunited with Connla. Having no further business in this forest, they continued eastward for the remainder of the morning. It was approaching noon when they reached the edge of the woods and observed the vast barren plains stretching for miles around them. Making the sight more dismal was that thousands upon thousands of different monsters carpeted the empty fields like ants flocking to a piece of dropped candy. The two Servants hadn’t been spotted yet, but if they made any careless moves right now, they would be swarmed to death in a heartbeat. They laid low in the tall grass and blended in with the environment before attempting to get a closer look.</p><p>After they got back in contact with Roman, he greeted them with a listless, “Hey there.”</p><p> He tried to sound chipper, but was clearly distraught over something. Connla tilted her head and asked, “Is something the matter, Doctor?”</p><p>“… Ugh. No way to sugarcoat this, so I’ll give it to you straight – I’ve got bad news.”</p><p>Cuchulainn rolled his eyes and grumbled, “I doubt you could tell us much that would make matters worse.”</p><p>“Now that you two are closer to the Leyline, I was able to perform a more accurate analysis of how many monsters are congregating there. Believe me when I say this, but the numbers are showing approximately 20,000, and they’re scattered all over the place. If you two try to barge in head-on, you will be overwhelmed by reinforcements faster than you’ll realize. I strongly recommend going around them, although that will add another 200 hours to your journey.”</p><p>“But there aren’t any other viable Leylines near us, right? Even if we did go find another, that one will be in a similar state too.”</p><p>“Oh dear,” Connla fretted. “If I knew this was going to happen, I would have asked for more Servants to come with us…”</p><p>“Too late for regrets, kid. We’re gonna hammer out a plan, whether you like it or not.”</p><p>“Y-Yeah…”</p><p>Roman added, “The good news is that your chances of a successful forced Rayshift have dramatically improved since yesterday. Now that you’re closer to a vital mana source, we should be able to get you two back home… probably.”</p><p>“’Probably’, my ass,” Cuchulainn snapped. “If they’re enemies, then I’ll kill them.”</p><p>“Were you not listening to me? There’s too many of them, plus their behavior indicates that they’re communicating with each other. Let me stress this right now; you can’t win this fight.”</p><p>The Berserker scoffed, “Worst pep talk I’ve ever heard, but that’s about what I expected from a weakling.”</p><p>“Now look here-!”</p><p>Connla scratched her chin in contemplation, then pondered, “Maybe we could try luring a small crowd of them over here and pick them off one at a time?”</p><p>“These kind of small fries aren’t worth the consideration,” Cuchulainn muttered. “I’ll just dive in and swing Gae Bolg around until I clear enough of the field for you. Once you feel you’re ready, you come out of hiding and set up the summoning circle. Then we get the hell out of here. Easy as that.”</p><p>“You want to challenge that horde by yourself while I watch!? You should at least let me provide support fire!”</p><p>“You need to conserve your strength. You’re more suited to quickly mowing through short battles, whereas I’m built for raw strength and survival. Besides, if you wind up dying, then I’d might as well die with you since I’d have no way back home. If you don’t want that to happen, then stay here and patiently wait for your chance.”</p><p>“Uh…”</p><p>“Is that an objection I hear? Remember, I’m the boss of this little outfit. Whatever I say goes, got it?”</p><p>Connla shuddered, then relented, “I-I’ll do what you say…”</p><p>“Good. If I wind up dying, then the wimp can do a forced Rayshift on you or whatever. Of course, I’m not going to let it get to that point so easily.”</p><p>Without warning, Cuchulainn got on his feet and stood tall before dashing out of the edge of the forest to confront the horde of monsters. It didn’t take much for a pack of wolfmen to notice the black-hooded Berserker charging for them like a dark thunderstorm, and one of the beasts blew a signal horn to alert their comrades that they were under attack. Cuchulainn’s ferocious stride never wavered as he slashed Gae Bolg across in one clean motion and effortlessly cleaved through several creatures. His pace was so quick that he dug his spiked heels against the ground to stop himself, then hopped over some goblins and kicked them aside. A wyvern attempted to bite his head off from behind, but he simply pierced the red spear through its throat and left it to fall to its death as he hunted down his next prey.</p><p>Normally, Cuchulainn was a Heroic Spirit who reveled in the thrill of battle. If it had been his Lancer self, he would have been overjoyed at the prospect of unleashing his full might without any worry about his Master restraining his power. As an Alter though, he didn’t really share in the same experience. Sure, he was grinning like a madman as he mowed through these lesser creatures, but no sense of real excitement welled within him. He simply needed to do his job, like how someone sorted papers in an office for hours on end, in order to clean up the perimeter and give Connla the opportunity she needed.</p><p>Cuchulainn ripped off a Bicorn’s head with raw strength alone, then tossed aside the neck and flailing spine attached to it as he turned his attention toward a giant floating eyeball known as a Gazer. The blood-soaked Servant licked his lips clean and dashed in while pointing Gae Bolg at the basketball-sized pupil. The monster’s iris flared up, and dark fire suddenly flared around Cuchulainn’s body, singeing the outer layers of his flesh. As he reeled back in pain, a Sea Fiend wrapped its tentacles around him in the hopes of restraining him so that the Gazer could burn him to death. He proved to be way too strong for the fiend to bind though, as he broke free and grabbed the writhing appendages before throwing it straight at the surprised Gazer. Then in one fluid strike, Cuchulainn stabbed his spear through both monsters simultaneously.</p><p>Without warning though, a pitch-black quadruped called a Soul Eater leapt at him from behind and dug its blunt teeth through his shoulder in an attempt to eat him alive. He clenched his sharp teeth in agony, then grabbed its snout and dug his talon-like fingers into the flesh. It tried to get away, but he simply tossed it over his head until it landed on its back, then pierced Gae Bolg through its abdomen to slay it. He stomped his foot on the corpse’s head, puncturing the sharp heel through its skull as he turned and faced the incoming onslaught of monsters with a wild grin plastered all over his eyes.</p>
<hr/><p>All this time, Connla remained in her hiding spot and watched Cuchulainn slaughter any enemies that got too close to him. On the transceiver, Roman exclaimed, “Hooo~oooly! That guy’s mowing through them like they’re nothing!”</p><p>“I can’t believe he’s so strong,” she murmured, utterly awestruck by her father’s raw strength. “I bet he could take down half of them by himself.”</p><p>“Maybe, but he can’t last forever like this.”</p><p>“Oh, if only I could go in and help him out,” Connla whimpered and nervously chewed her thumbnail.</p><p>“Don’t. He told you to stay put, and that’s what you’re going to do.”</p><p>“I know, but… Hm?”</p><p>The young Lancer thought she heard something unusual and glanced back. Then she unexpectedly let out a shocked cry, and Roman shouted, “What’s the matter!?”</p><p>Crouched about 25 feet away from Connla was another Soul Eater that had stalked the Servant pair through the forest without them noticing. This one was clearly smarter than its brethren, having waited until Cuchulainn had left to challenge the horde before making its move against Connla. She scrambled to her feet and brandished her weapon just in time to block the Soul Eater as it tried to pounce on her and eat her head off her shoulders. She pushed it away, but it refused to peel its eyes away from its young prey.</p><p>Connla heard more guttural growls coming from the forest and noticed multiple pairs of eyes glowing in the distance. More Soul Eaters arrived as backup, and they all had their sights set on her.</p><p><em>A pincer attack,</em> she realized. <em>We were so focused on the monsters out in the open that we didn’t think about scouring the forest.</em></p><p>Although she was certainly the faster of the two Servants, she simply wasn’t strong enough to handle a pack of Soul Eaters by herself. There was no two ways about it - she needed Cuchulainn’s help to dispatch them. Since her hiding spot was already exposed, there was no point in her staying here any longer, so she turned and ran with all her might towards the chaotic battlefield. Although the ghastly black beasts took chase after her, she somehow found opportunities to swipe her spear through some werewolves and goblins that were making their way toward Cuchulainn.</p><p>“What the hell!?” the Berserker snapped when he saw his daughter coming. Without thinking, he vaulted high over her and gouged Gae Bolg through the leading Soul Eater’s head. He killed the other monsters that were pursuing her while she was preoccupied with fending off a Gazer. Once he found a moment to breathe, Cuchulainn angrily roared at her, <em>“What are you doing here!? I told you to wait!”</em></p><p>“That’s not it!” Connla objected right after she sliced open the Gazer’s eyes in a horizontal cutting motion. “I was ambushed from behind and forced out here!”</p><p>“There were more in the forest!?”</p><p>“I think they were stalking us and waiting until we separated!”</p><p>“Son of a bitch… Fine, change of plans! You mop up the weaklings, and I’ll take out the big ones! Just enough to clear some space for you, got it!? Time’s not on our side, so let’s do this quickly!”</p><p>“Yes, sir!” the Lancer acknowledged and shot a volley of fireballs at some incoming goblins. As Cuchulainn continued his onslaught, Connla used some Runes to wrap herself in a small tornado before rocketing across the dusty plains like a fish rapidly swimming through water. Her feet skimmed across the surface as she swiped, thrust and stabbed her weapon at any smaller monsters that were within her reach. Dust swirled around her, further confusing the mob as they struggled to catch up with the fleet-footed girl. She broke through the group and flipped about like a gymnast to stop herself. As she crouched there and stared at the goblins and werewolves charging at her, that was when she felt the ground literally shiver several times. She looked back and saw that a massive Demon Boar was charging straight for her.</p><p>
  <em>Not good! If that thing reaches Father, he’ll be overwhelmed!</em>
</p><p>She decided that rather than retreating, she would face this gargantuan beast and kill it herself. She had an idea in mind, but she needed to coax the boar into doing what she wanted first. Luckily, she could tell that it was hungry, so all she needed to do was hop high enough to be in its line of sight and shoot some fireballs at its face to aggravate it. The boar let out a bellowing howl, then raised its snout in an upward motion so that it smashed against the child Servant and sent her toppling over it. Then it opened its large mouth and eagerly awaited for her to fall into its gullet.</p><p>
  <em>Perfect!</em>
</p><p>She grew determined to see her plan through, and she streamlined her body so that she dove into the boar’s maw without hesitation. Cuchulainn saw all of this transpire, and he shrieked with bloodshot wide eyes, <strong><em>“Connla!”</em></strong></p><p>However, he grew increasingly perplexed when he noticed the Demon Boar’s stomach explode in a volley of blood and guts. He then immediately understood what had happened; Connla used her Runes to blast her way through its belly after she had been swallowed whole. The demonic animal collapsed onto its side and died, allowing the small girl to burrow out of the gaping wound. Although she was covered in a tremendous amount of blood, she didn’t seem to suffer from any noticeable wounds.</p><p>“My god, what recklessness!” Cuchulainn growled as he leaned over her to inspect her. “Have you gone completely insane, kid!?”</p><p>“It’s not insane. Sometimes I had to resort to that tactic whenever I fought one in the Land of Shadows,” Connla coolly explained as if it wasn’t a big deal.</p><p>“Don’t sound so blasé about it!”</p><p>“Why are you so surprised? You mean you didn’t have to do that when you trained there?”</p><p>“Ah… I mean… O-Of course not! I’m strong enough to tear Demon Boars apart from the outside!”</p><p>“Well I’m not. Teacher said that I needed to find alternate ways of killing larger opponents to compensate for my lack of strength. I figured that directly targeting their vital organs was the best course of action for me.”</p><p>“Scathach, you-!” Cuchulainn snarled, unable to comprehend that his mentor would go so far to train Connla like this.</p><p>“We should save that discussion for another time,” she suddenly declared as she raised her weapon and glared into the distance.</p><p> He likewise glanced over and noticed the next wave of monsters fast approaching them. He panned his eyes around their perimeter, then growled, “Tch. This could get ugly.”</p><p>“If only we could clear the area even for just five minutes, then…” Connla stammered, but a pack of werewolves blocked her path.</p><p>As the pair contemplated on how to escape this predicament, that was when the ground rumbled for a few seconds. The Servants thought that another large monster was making its entrance, and that the pack surrounded them specifically to trap them for their boss. However, that theory was disproven when they noticed the other creatures appearing as confused as they were. Connla looked around fervently and squeaked, “What’s going on!?”</p><p>“I don’t know, but stay close!” Cuchulainn barked.</p><p>Just then, one of the wyverns let out an unexpected death yell and plummeted to the ground after having its entire spine ripped out in one clean motion. Then another one, and another, and another. The airborne beasts dropped out of the sky one after the other, which startled everyone. They couldn’t see what was happening to the dragons, but it was evident that some large humanoid was leaping from one monster to the next while ripping them apart like mere paper. The surviving wyverns decided that retreating was the best option, and they soared high into the skies to abandon their non-flying comrades.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“EEE~EEEYAAA~AAA~AAAH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>An inhumanly shrill battle cry pierced the heavens and echoed several times. If it had been any more high pitched, anyone within immediate range would have gone deaf.</p><p>“Watch out!” Roman exclaimed. “The readings are showing an abnormal Spirit Origin in your range!”</p><p>“So that really is a Servant,” Connla said as her eyes followed the mystery figure. “Are they here to help us?”</p><p>“I’m not sure, but stay alert. That pattern can only belong to a Berserker-class Servant. Furthermore, its output is far, <em>far</em> greater than anything I’ve seen to date! There’s a possibility that it won’t know friend from foe in this situation!”</p><p>“Then we should escape while the horde is caught off guard. Do you agree, Father?”</p><p>She glanced up at her partner, but then grew perplexed when she saw his expression.  Normally, Cuchulainn Alter appeared apathetic and uninterested towards the vast majority of people around him. His features tended to soften while he was near Connla, but he never let his guard down regardless. Right now though, his acerbic attitude was most definitely absent, replaced with an uncharacteristically terrified look in his widened, twitching eyes. He clenched his shark-like teeth so hard that they could have dislocated from the gums. His entire body shivered uncontrollably, and he actually took a step back in revulsion.</p><p>“Father…?” Connla grabbed his hand. “What’s the matter?”</p><p>Cuchulainn refused to peel his eyes away from the new Servant that had killed the dragons. Soon, the figure dropped from the skies and landed on the opposite side of the pack. Clearly, he stood around five to eight feet above even the tallest creatures, and his muscles were so bulky that some of the muscle was torn open and exposed for everyone to see. His arms and legs were bent the wrong way, yet he could still function as a warrior in such a painful-looking state. His ultramarine hair flowed over his back, but was so rigid that if an apple tree dropped all of its fruit around him, every apple would have been pierced through the spiky needle-like hair. Extraneous red eyes blinked all over his body, including his shoulders, torso, cheeks, legs, feet, and more. His actual eyes barely resembled eyes anymore, with one almost completely rolled back into the head while the other slightly dangled out of the socket, supported by only some sinewy blood vessels.</p><p>Everything started to come together for Connla once she saw the long crimson spear that the Berserker wielded. It was <em>massive</em> – probably as tall as two or three Cuchulainns combined. Although it was difficult to tell due to the weapon’s natural color, a large amount of blood and viscera nevertheless painted the polearm. She finally understood why Cuchulainn was so frightened upon seeing this Berserker, as she uttered the weapon’s name:</p><p>“Gae… Bolg…”</p><p><strong><em>“EEE~EEEYAAA~AAA~AAA~AAAHH!”</em></strong> the Berserker shrieked and stormed for the largest dragon in sight, then curled his hand until the thorny fingernails formed a claw, and he instantly crushed the beast’s skull beneath his slamming palm. Blood sprayed everywhere, and some of it spattered on Connla’s face. She barely noticed as she remained hopelessly transfixed on the monstrous Servant. The Berserker then turned his attention toward the monster mob as they immediately rushed at him, hoping to overwhelm him with sheer numbers alone. He didn’t seem to care, and he raised the gigantic Gae Bolg with the intent of slashing it. His teeth weren’t sharp like Cuchulainn’s were, but he grinned so wide that even the blunt molars could be seen.</p><p><em>“SHIII~IIIT!”</em> Cuchulainn snarled and grabbed Connla, forcing both of them to the ground seconds before a mighty rush of red wind ripped through the air. They looked up and noticed that the beasts within the Berserker’s range were sent flying backwards, with their heads ruthlessly shorn off of their necks in one fell swoop. If the two Servants had not ducked in time, they would have been killed the same way.</p><p><strong><em>“EHE… EHEE HEE HEE HEE!”</em></strong> the Berserker giggled. He was having a lot of fun ripping apart these pathetic cretins that dared to challenge him. He stomped, swiped, and thrashed about without a care in the world.</p><p>“F… Father…” Connla whimpered. She was simply too traumatized to continue fighting, and Cuchulainn knew it. With a snarl, he immediately summoned the black exoskeleton that comprised his Curruid Coinchenn armor, then hauled the frightened little girl over his shoulder and bolted out of the area as if their lives depended on it, because at this moment, they most definitely <em>did</em>.</p><p>The giant Berserker noticed the duo retreating and would have taken chase, but for some reason, he didn’t move at all. He couldn’t see very well due to his mutated state, but he could still make out Connla’s fearful expression as she stared back at him. For those precious moments, his uncontrollable anger was pacified as he glared into her wide brown eyes. Memories of his fateful battle against her flashed in his mind.</p><p>Right… he had a reason to be here. He couldn’t remember what the hell happened to him or how he wound up here, but it had something to do with her. He saw that she had been surrounded by monsters and was trying to escape, to little avail. Even in his grotesque state, he refused to let her die like this. He couldn’t recall why, but he was certain that he wanted her to live on and fight a particular enemy.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“C… CO… N… LAAA~AAAHHH…!”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Bonds of Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 3: Bonds of Family</strong>
</p>
<p>Back in Chaldea, Roman’s skin visibly turned pale as he analyzed the readings of the second Cuchulainn’s power level. These numbers were similar to what he would see when Heracles was in one of his own throes of rage, except that those tended to be temporary spikes in rabid behavior before Ritsuka commanded him to calm down. Here, the numbers refused to go below the maximum threshold, and that made the doctor extremely anxious.</p>
<p>“My god…” he breathed in astonishment. “This is just too insane for words…”</p>
<p>“I’ve got a report!” a staff member exclaimed. “The unknown Cuchulainn just wiped out 30% of the enemy army! He’s sustaining massive damage, but he’s either healing himself or just flat out ignoring it!”</p>
<p>“Where are Cu Alter and Connla!?”</p>
<p>“They’re retreating to a safe distance,” another analyzer said. “No signs of the summoning circle being set though.”</p>
<p>Roman clenched his teeth and glared at the screen that he used to converse with the Servants earlier. It showed nothing but static right now, so he couldn’t monitor exactly what was going on to give any reliable instructions to them.</p>
<p>
  <em>Come on! Establish the circle and get out of there already!</em>
</p><hr/>
<p>In the remnants of the Fifth Singularity, Cuchulainn Alter continued making a mad dash across the dusty plains while decked in his full Noble Phantasm armor. Connla wrapped her arms around his armored shoulders tightly and watched as a group of monsters attempted to surround them from either side.</p>
<p><strong><em>“Get out of the way, you bastaaa~aaards!”</em></strong> Cuchulainn shrieked and slashed his massive red talons through the beasts multiple times. He certainly sounded a lot more frightened than before, and with good reason; the <em>true</em> Berserker Cuchulainn was still tearing through the larger monsters several kilometers away. In fact, they could still hear him screeching abnormal cries of rage despite being so far away. Alter didn’t want to waste any time messing with these leftover creatures, preferring to make as much distance from the other Cuchulainn as humanly possible without leaving the Leyline behind.</p>
<p>“Uh-!” Connla gasped and squeezed her eyes shut as blood and guts splattered all over her crazed father. She kept her eyes closed to block out the carnage he was causing as he fervently dashed across the sandy plains like a raging storm of death and destruction. Dozens of werewolves and goblins were shredded into chunks of meat with no effort on his part.</p>
<p>As soon as he tore through the monsters barring their path, Cuchulainn came upon a long drop to the ground several hundred feet below. He realized that the horde of monsters was very thin in that area, so it would be the perfect spot for them to escape this world from. He called out to Connla, “We’re gonna make a break for it! Whatever you do, hold on tight!”</p>
<p>“I already am!”</p>
<p>“Good! Here we go!”</p>
<p>He ran as close to the edge of the cliff as he could before leaping high into the sky. Connla winced as her body (which was practically tiny compared to his) threatened to go flying off her perch. She held on to his armor so firmly that she thought her fingers would fall off. It didn’t help that her body and legs flailed over his shoulder as he plummeted to the ground below, and the wind viciously rushed through her hair. A few seconds later, Cuchulainn’s feet slammed upon the arid earth and kicked up a cloud of dust around them.</p>
<p>“This is a good spot,” he said, then exclaimed to his daughter, “All right, do it now!”</p>
<p>“Ah…” she yelped, still feeling rather stunned from the jump.</p>
<p>“Get it together! This is the only chance we’ll get!”</p>
<p>“R-Right!”</p>
<p>Connla pushed aside her feelings of exasperation and scrambled off of Cuchulainn before finding a place to establish the summoning circle. She planted her spear so the blade pointed to the sky, then focused on setting down a series of Runes. Cuchulainn dispelled his Noble Phantasm and wielded Gae Bolg while glaring at another mob of wyverns descending upon them.</p>
<p>“Shit…” he cursed under his breath.</p>
<p>“I’m done, Father!” Connla shouted. The magic circle brilliantly shone beneath her feet, indicating that it was ready for use. The two Servants got in the center and felt their bodies lifting in the air. A few seconds before the dragons could descend upon them, they disappeared in a burst of azure and white light.</p>
<p>To the real berserk Cuchulainn, that same energy appeared as a thin streak of blue reaching toward the stratosphere for a moment before dissipating into nothing. His ugly grin never wavered, but he seemed to feel a little more relieved once he realized that Connla was no longer in the area. He had actually been holding back from unleashing his true destructive power out of fear that she would be caught in the cataclysm. Now that she was gone, the berserk hero had nothing to worry about anymore. He planted Gae Bolg into the ground, then arched his head back while taking a deep, guttural breath. As hundreds of monsters converged upon him, he unleashed the most inhuman, alien, piercing war cry imaginable.</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>“EEEEE~EEEEE~EEEYAAAAA~AAAAA~AAAAA~AAAAA~AAAAHHHH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><hr/>
<p>Even while Cuchulainn Alter and Connla were Rayshifting back to Chaldea, the young Lancer somehow managed to catch the berserk Cuchulainn’s scream from a distance. It was so incredible that even the clouds parted ways like a dome around him. The enemies that were within close proximity to him literally <em>disintegrated</em>. Those that were further away still sustained terrible damage to their ears and flesh.</p>
<p>
  <em>No way…</em>
</p>
<p>That was all she could think about. Cuchulainn in a full-blown <em>riastrad</em> episode was the most frightening thing she had ever witnessed in her life. Even as she and Alter safely materialized back in the Spiritron Chamber, her mind refused to blank out the other Cuchulainn’s visage. To think that she was the child of someone who could warp himself into something so hideous, shapeless, and downright unheard of…</p>
<p><em>Was </em>that<em> why Mother was so afraid of me…?</em></p>
<p>As she lowered her head and pondered such things, Roman cried out happily, “You did it! Oh god, am I glad to see you guys again!”</p>
<p>“What a disaster,” Cuchulainn growled in both frustration and relief. “That had to be the worst outing I’ve <em>ever</em> gone through.”</p>
<p>A familiar pink-haired queen wearing a white skirt rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his torso as she cried out, “Cu, my darling hunk of rage and turmoil! You’ve finally come back to me!”</p>
<p>“Ugh. You’re here too, Medb?”</p>
<p>“Of course I am! I’ll always be here to greet you home!”</p>
<p>“Give me a break, woman. If you have the energy to fawn over me like that, then you ought to spend it looking after the kid.”</p>
<p>“Connie?” Medb wondered as she glanced over at the disturbed Lancer. “Is she all right?”</p>
<p>“Just shaken up, but otherwise fine.”</p>
<p>“Ah… Oh,” Connla whimpered and suddenly lost all the strength in her knees, buckling into a pathetic mess on the ground.</p>
<p>Medb helped her stay upright as she exclaimed, “Are you okay!?”</p>
<p>“I’m… fine…” the girl gasped between breaths. “As long as I’m alive… then…”</p>
<p>“That’s right. It’s important that you and Cu are still with us. Come on, let’s get you to the infirmary. Nightingale will want to check on you.”</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah…”</p>
<p>Medb supported Connla, having to keep her on her feet since she was still helplessly shaking like a leaf in the wind. Once the pair were gone, Roman turned to Cuchulainn and asked, “So that Berserker… He’s not who I think he is, is he?”</p>
<p>“Even an oaf like you would know that monstrosity from anywhere,” the gloomy Berserker grunted. “Suffice to say, that was Cuchulainn in his true <em>riastrad</em> state.”</p>
<p>“I knew it. I’ve heard that even Scathach had trouble keeping him under control when he was in the throes of his worst warp spasms.”</p>
<p>“Right. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was acknowledged as Grand Berserker, like how First Hassan is known as the Grand Assassin.”</p>
<p>“Now I see how Cuchulainn Lancer said you were the preferable Berserker to have in Chaldea compared to his real raged-out self. I wonder what he was doing there though. There weren’t any other Servant readings in the area until he showed up. It’s almost like he popped in out of nowhere.”</p>
<p>“Beats me,” Cuchulainn shrugged. “What happened to him after the kid and I Rayshifted?”</p>
<p>“It’s difficult to say since we can’t monitor what happens in Singularities unless members of Chaldea are present,” Roman admitted. “Still, I’ll have SHEBA keep an eye on the situation there. It’d be a real nightmare if that guy suddenly decided to show up here.”</p>
<p>“No kidding. Although…”</p>
<p>“Although?”</p>
<p>“If that bastard <em>did</em> wind up here through some freakish fluke, I don’t think he will be as dangerous as you think.”</p>
<p>“What makes you say that!?” the doctor barked. “That version of Cuchulainn is the dictionary definition of ‘dangerous’!”</p>
<p>“I know that. It’s just that when he saw Connla, I could feel his rage subside somewhat… No, I wouldn’t say it subsided. It seemed like it was more focused than before, as if seeing her face helped him define his purpose for being there.”</p>
<p>“Is that right? Well since you and that other Cuchulainn share the same Spirit Origin, I’ll have to take your word for it. Still, let’s just pray that he’s never summoned here. I highly doubt Ritsuka will be able to keep him under control. She already has a hard enough time with other Berserkers like Heracles, Lu Bu and Darius.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Having me around is enough for you guys,” Cuchulainn agreed.</p>
<p>“By the way, I’m thinking of calling that guy Cuchulainn Riastrad to tell him apart from you. That okay with you?”</p>
<p>“I couldn’t care less. I’m gonna go take a nap now. Let me know if anything develops with him.”</p>
<p>“Got it.”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn left the Rayshifting chamber and grunted to himself as he wandered through the hallways of Chaldea. He was rather exhausted and bleeding badly, but to him, it was nothing a nice long rest wouldn’t heal. He found Connla’s room, then sat on the windowsill opposite her door and reclined before yawning and closing his eyes. This was his favorite spot to take naps, and this time was no different as he struggled to fall asleep. The image of Cuchulainn Riastrad refused to relieve its vice-like grip on his mind though, especially since he actually didn’t know what he looked like when he was in such a hulked-out state. It felt strange for him to see it from a third-person perspective, and it downright spooked him.</p>
<p>If someone as fearsome as Cuchulainn Alter was terrified of his <em>riastrad</em> self, he could only wonder how hopelessly frightened Connla was. He knew that her mind was much too young and impressionable to be witnessing such horrors, yet it happened anyway, and he needed to help her cope with it in the near future. He sighed again as he thought about her, which wound up helping him block out the other Cuchulainn from his mind and drift off to sleep.</p>
<p>Several hours later, he stirred awake and stretched his arms. After yawning loudly, he opened his eyes and discovered Medb leaning in on his chest from the side.</p>
<p>“Morning, Cu,” she cooed dreamily.</p>
<p>His foul mood immediately resurfaced as he grumbled, “What do <em>you</em> want?”</p>
<p>“Oh my. Is that any way to greet your beloved partner in crime?”</p>
<p>“Keep those demented thoughts in your twisted imagination.”</p>
<p>“He he. Good to see that little scrap hasn’t dulled your sense of humor.”</p>
<p>“Ugh,” he grunted, then became serious as he said, “Enough joking around. Is the kid doing okay?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” the queen replied, and her expression immediately turned wistful. “She had a good cry, then Nightingale gave her some sedatives. She’s sleeping soundly in the ICU as we speak.”</p>
<p>“Good. I’m not surprised she was that upset. She must have been holding it back on my account until the mission was over.”</p>
<p>“Connie was saying some strange things though, like how she could possibly become as hideous as that other Cu, and that that’s why Aife abused her so badly.”</p>
<p>“Is that so?” Cuchulainn grumbled darkly. “I guess she has every right to be scared. But I won’t let it come to that. No matter what I have to do, I’ll make sure she doesn’t experience the same thing herself.”</p>
<p>“Oh, Cu,” Medb fawned as she straddled her legs around his chest, nudged her cheek against his biceps and traced her finger around his toned abs. “Why can’t you be such a gentleman towards me?”</p>
<p>“Because you don’t deserve it.”</p>
<p>“Even though I’ve been helping you <em>so</em> much with taking care of Connie?”</p>
<p>“I’m only putting up with you because we have the same Master. I’m not so gullible as to fall for your idiotic tricks. I know you’re the type of selfish wench who will help others only for the sake of helping herself.”</p>
<p>“What of it? It’s my prerogative as a queen to yearn for the best treasure around. Right now, the treasure I want the most is your heart.”</p>
<p>“Like I give a damn about what you want. Just leave Connla out of your stupid schemes. The kid’s got more than enough to deal with.”</p>
<p>“Believe me, I know that already,” Medb replied with a firm tone. “I won’t do anything to put Connie in harm’s way. Even if you don’t have any faith in me, I will at least keep to my word as far as she’s concerned.”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn stared at her for a moment, surprised that she was capable of saying such a thing. He sighed, then muttered, “Fine. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing with her.”</p>
<p>“Of course.”</p><hr/>
<p>Connla knew she was dreaming again. She was growing accustomed to feeling the rush of the world spinning past her as her consciousness was absorbed into another Connla’s body. She wondered where she would end up this time as she fell. As her mind adjusted to her new surroundings, she realized that she was inside an incredibly familiar place.</p>
<p>
  <em>The White House…</em>
</p>
<p>It was the same place as when she experienced the alternate Fifth Singularity, complete with effigies of dragons, demons and Celtic deities, along with a gigantic version of Gae Bolg piercing the front entrance. Connla instantly knew that this was a third version of the same events, but something felt totally different. The halls were devoid of any soldiers or Servants, which meant that everyone must have gone off to fight the war. Normally there were plenty of guards stationed to protect Medb, but not a soul could be found here. Connla pondered as to what this could mean.</p>
<p>
  <em>Is this actually during the end of the American-Celtic war? Am I just going to experience the conclusion of it this time?</em>
</p>
<p>That seemed to be the case. Things were just <em>way</em> too quiet for her to believe otherwise.</p>
<p>In any case, the new Connla of this dream was standing alone in the main foyer of the White House. She pressed her spear against her chest tightly, struggling to fight back the terrible anxiety that threatened to cripple her. She stared at the doors leading outside for a long while, then swallowed hard before stepping forward and pushing against one of the doors.</p><hr/>
<p>In this world, a black-haired male version of Ritsuka hurried up the steps leading to the White House. He was accompanied by three others; the Demi-Servant Mash, the Indian hero Rama, and the iron-willed nurse Florence Nightingale.</p>
<p>“We’re finally here,” Rama declared. “Stay alert, everyone. If Cuchulainn and Medb are going to make their last stand, it will be here.”</p>
<p>Everyone halted when they noticed one of the doors click and slowly creak open. Mash raised her shield in front of herself and Ritsuka while announcing, “Spirit Origin reading detected!”</p>
<p>“It’s finally time… to put an end to this nightmare,” the young Mage murmured in both fear and determination.</p>
<p>“It’s getting closer to us. Making contact in three, two, one…”</p>
<p>To the team’s collective surprise, it wasn’t Cuchulainn nor Medb who stepped through the door. It was a seven-year old girl who kept her lavender hair in a ponytail, and wore a mint green bodysuit beneath a white capelet and skirt. Although she carried a leaf-bladed boar spear, she clearly didn’t wield it in malice. She quietly approached Ritsuka and the Servants and stared at them anxiously. The other Servants lowered their weapons when they realized she wasn’t challenging them to a battle.</p>
<p>“Pardon my rudeness, but might you be the Mad King’s daughter that we’ve heard about?” Rama asked tersely. He always remained on his guard when dealing with Celtic enemies, although this one didn’t seem to emanate the same bloodlust that he was used to sensing.</p>
<p>“… Yes,” was the murmured response.</p>
<p>“Why are you here? Do you intend to stop us on your own?”</p>
<p>“No,” the girl replied, and her expression grew ever more fearful. “I… I can’t watch my father be like this anymore…”</p>
<p>Nightingale narrowed her eyes and said, “So you really are Connla, Cuchulainn’s ‘son’ who was mistakenly killed by his own father. I can see in your eyes that you are quite ill yourself. Could it be that Cuchulainn’s disease has affected you as well?”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure what you mean,” Connla said. “But it’s true that Queen Medb forcibly mutated him into the creature you have all fought against. Once Father found out I was summoned to this era as well, he wasted no time finding me and bringing me here so that I could play out the role of the ‘Celtic Princess’.”</p>
<p>“What is the point of dragging his own child here to witness such senseless carnage? Doesn’t he understand how much a young mind like yours will be affected?”</p>
<p>Suddenly, Ritsuka declared, “I don’t think that’s it.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Nightingale asked him.</p>
<p>“We’ve spent a long time here and fought many Celtic enemies. Yet, not once have we faced Connla in battle. She must have been kept inside the White House the entire time instead of being deployed to the front lines. Even Cuchulainn himself made an appearance and fought us. Why do you think Connla has never shown up even once before now?”</p>
<p>The nurse blinked, realizing what the Mage was implying. She faced the child Lancer and said, “Cuchulainn must have told you never to enter the war.”</p>
<p>“Mm,” Connla nodded. “Father demanded that I stay here and survive to the end. Even if he and Queen Medb were to perish, they wanted me to carry on their legacy in the safety of the White House.”</p>
<p>Rama clenched his teeth and snapped, “That’s crazy. What kind of ‘legacy’ is there to carry on if they seek nothing but total destruction?”</p>
<p>“That’s what I’ve been thinking about myself. I know of all the American soldiers and citizens who have been slaughtered by Father and his forces. They’re just running around killing for the sake of killing, regardless if they ruin the enemy’s morale. It’s just complete and utter chaos… Yet, Father and Queen Medb want me to live past this bloody time and rebuild America into a glorious Celtic nation, where all of my citizens will love and praise me as the Mad King’s scion. But I know the truth. They’re just using my future as an excuse to go on a rampage, without any consideration for the enmity that will be turned against me. This whole thing of me being a future queen is a total lie.”</p>
<p>“Ridiculous. Absolutely, utterly <em>ridiculous</em>! If you understood that much, why didn’t you leave this place and seek out help!?”</p>
<p>“Because…” Connla’s voice trailed off, and she stared at the ground pitifully. “Because… I didn’t want to abandon Father.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t want to leave Cuchulainn’s side? Even though he doesn’t care about you?”</p>
<p>“That’s not it. Even in that state, I know he loves me from the bottom of his heart, and he really is trying to think about my future. It’s just that in his maddened state, plus through Queen Medb corrupting his Spirit Origin, those feelings have been horribly mutated beyond recognition. I can’t imagine how much he’s suffering, reduced to a plaything for his greatest rival to shape into whatever she wants, regardless if it makes sense or not. In a way, not just Father’s mutation, but this whole Singularity is the epitome of Queen Medb’s darkest fantasies manifesting.”</p>
<p>“We won’t let it come to that,” Mash said. “Even though it must have been extremely difficult, you stayed here in order to pacify Cuchulainn’s anger. If you hadn’t, who knows how much more destruction he would have caused? In a way, you’ve been fighting alongside us even though we’ve never met until now.”</p>
<p>“You think so?” Connla wondered.</p>
<p>“Yes. You’ve done well bearing so much on your own. We won’t force you to fight with us, but we’re going to put an end to this absurd lie right here and now.”</p>
<p>The little girl shifted her eyes away nervously and murmured, “I don’t know what to do now… So, can I at least watch your battle?”</p>
<p>“That would be the best course of action,” Nightingale said. “I refuse to allow such a young child to participate in the battle that will decide the fate of this world.”</p>
<p><em>“No,”</em> a deep male’s voice echoed around them. <em>“You’re going to fight.”</em></p>
<p>The group yelped. Connla appeared especially frightened when she heard that voice, so Rama and Nightingale immediately rushed in front to protect her while Mash raised her shield and got in front of Ritsuka. They heard two pairs of footsteps resounding from the White House’s entrance. Soon, Cuchulainn Alter and Medb stepped through and greeted them with apathetic expressions.</p>
<p>“Father…” Connla murmured. “I don’t want to fight them. I know how far they’ve come. They defeated Sir Fionn, Sir Diarmuid, Uncle Fergus, and so many other Servants. There’s no way I can stand a chance against such-“</p>
<p>“You’re wrong,” Cuchulainn replied, then pointed Gae Bolg at her. “You’re fighting <em>with</em> them.”</p>
<p>“Eh?”</p>
<p>Rama barked, “What is the meaning of this? I thought you were the type of king who murdered anyone that even remotely thought about betraying you. Now you’re telling your own daughter to turn against you?”</p>
<p>“If Connla’s been betraying anyone, it’s herself,” the Mad King declared, then faced the girl again. “I know you’ve been doing your best to appease me. You might not have realized it, but I gave you many opportunities to run away and seek refuge with the Americans. You never capitalized on any of those chances though.”</p>
<p>“W-Why would you…?” Connla stammered.</p>
<p>“I’m too deeply ensnared in Medb’s delusion. At the very least though, I wanted to at least let you escape. If she wound up using the Grail to pervert your Spirit Origin like she did to mine, then I don’t know what I would do.”</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t be silly, Cu,” Medb smiled. “I wouldn’t do anything like that to our precious little Connie. A princess must remain pure and dignified at all times.”</p>
<p>“Hmph. The kid is right about one thing; her being thrust into the role of some ‘Celtic Princess’ is just an excuse for us to kill everyone we see, in the hopes that we would leave a wasteland of death and destruction for her to begin repairing into a glorious Celtic nation. What foolishness.”</p>
<p>“It’s not foolish! It’s what I’ve always wanted! Since I am the most beautiful, selfish, evil queen that ever existed, it’s only natural that I aim for the highest goals possible!”</p>
<p>“Enough with your tasteless jokes, woman. I’m sick of watching my daughter suffer in silence. That’s why I’m setting her free from such a shitty role and letting her fight me as an enemy. She may have been loyal to us this whole time, but she betrayed herself by watching me transform into such a monster without saying a word of objection. Only now, when she spoke to the Chaldean Master and his allies, has she finally allowed her true feelings to come bare, and they are much worse than I feared.”</p>
<p>“Father…” Connla murmured.</p>
<p>“Oh my, my,” Medb crooned. “What is this emotion welling inside me? It’s so hard to describe. I’ve tried so hard to run you into the ground so that you would obey me, my one and only Cu. Yet, your affection for Connie is the one thing I have failed to tarnish… No, that’s not it. It’s more like I <em>couldn’t</em> tarnish it. I couldn’t bring myself to leave Connie all alone in this world when her mother betrayed her so horribly. As a mother of warriors, I figured that, at the very least, she should have her daddy around… Oh, my. Is this some sort of weakness I’m showing? Am I really fit to be such a wicked queen who thirsts for conquest? Did I really do the right thing, Cu?”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn’t answer Medb’s question honestly. Soon, he reopened them and said to Ritsuka, “Make your contract with her.”</p>
<p>“Huh?” the young Mage wondered.</p>
<p>“Didn’t you hear me? Make a contract with Connla. If you do, then she can fight me at her utmost.”</p>
<p>Ritsuka’s expression became serious, and he turned to the child Lancer and showed her the Command Spell on his hand. He forged a temporary contract with her, and she could feel her Spirit Origin linking with him. Once he was finished, he said, “We’re here for you now. Let’s win this thing together.”</p>
<p>“Uh… Um… I-If you insist…” she uttered.</p>
<p>“Looks like Cuchulainn is going to pursue Connla,” he continued, then glanced at the other Servants. “Rama and Nightingale, you two focus on Medb. Mash, provide backup wherever necessary.”</p>
<p>“Got it!” the Shielder replied.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Cuchulainn stood tall and said to his partner, “Medb, get ready for battle.”</p>
<p>“Ah-! O-Of course, my king!” the queen yelped and took out her riding crop. Even so, her sorrowful expression failed to recede as she asked, “Are you sure about this? Do you really want to fight Connie?”</p>
<p>“Like hell I do. But if my presence only causes her more harm than good, then she should be allied with people who are strong enough to help her defeat me. It’s my way of allowing her to fight for what she believes in, rather than having her constraining herself for my sake.”</p>
<p>Both he and Connla got into their combat stances and stared at each other silently. Although their expressions were anguished, they were nevertheless ready to duel for their lives. Then without any warning, the little girl disappeared in a whirling gust of wind. The next instant, sparks sprayed everywhere as Cuchulainn miraculously parried her incoming strike from behind. What followed was an insane duel between father and daughter as they demonstrated the pinnacles of their strength and dexterity. Their spears flailed and clashed everywhere in seemingly no discernible pattern. The Servants twisted and contorted their bodies with nimble, lightning-fast reflexes to both dodge and attack each other. Their minds blanked out, enslaved to nothing but the rigors of fierce battle.</p>
<p>Eventually, Cuchulainn swung across as hard as he could, but Connla hopped over the blow and jumped off his shoulder like a platform. As she twirled and sailed away upside-down, she cupped her hands in front of her and shot numerous Ansuz Runes at him. With reflexes that would make gods envious, he spun Gae Bolg in a frenzy to parry each fireball as they rained upon him. Small bursts of searing heat singed his already-burnt skin from when he took Karna’s Noble Phantasm head-on earlier in the war. He still hadn’t fully recovered from that assault, so it allowed Connla to fight Cuchulainn on equal footing. As she landed, he made a mad dash and got into another crazed dervish with her.</p>
<p>While Rama was preoccupied with his own battle against Medb, he gasped in astonishment and exclaimed, “What speed! No wonder Connla was summoned in this era – she’s the only one who can keep up with Cuchulainn!”</p>
<p>She managed to find an opportunity to break away from the frenzy and ran along the gigantic Gae Bolg piercing the ground nearby. Cuchulainn took chase, which spurred her to run faster and jump high off the end off the weapon so she was sailing high above the White House. He did so too, but then immediately realized it was a huge mistake. She had a much greater advantage in the air than he did, signified by how she used a series of small platform Runes to hop and bounce out of his range when it was normally impossible to maneuver like that in midair. With the freedom to traverse the skies without fear of being pursued, Connla could thus overwhelm him with her Noble Phantasm.</p>
<p><strong><em>“Laoch Gan Finsceal!”</em></strong> she called out to the souls of numerous soldiers who lost their lives in the war to grant her their combined power. An incredible surge of energy coursed through her small body, and she relentlessly pummeled Cuchulainn from all sides like an imperceptible bullet. To further compound the damage, she cast a combination of Ken Runes to increase her speed along with a Tiwaz Rune on the heel of her boot to finish off the Noble Phantasm with a tremendous diving kick to his chest.</p>
<p>After enduring such a devastating attack, Cuchulainn slammed into the concrete wall so hard that a large number of bones fractured inside him. He managed to hobble onto his knee and quickly use a healing Rune to repair the damage, although the process was so mind-numbingly excruciating that he was in no condition to fight for those few seconds. Without thinking, Connla descended upon him and pointed her spear at his neck, intent on slitting it before he could recover. She didn’t want to have to do this, but with the future itself at stake, she had to hold back her feelings for him and do what was necessary.</p>
<p>“CUU~UU!” Medb shrieked and commanded her bulls to pull her carriage between the two warriors. She used the side of the chariot to block Connla’s attack, while she grabbed Cuchulainn and rode him a distance away.</p>
<p>Connla flipped back a few times and landed just as Ritsuka and the other Servants rejoined her. The wounded Berserker glanced at his partner and grumbled bitterly, “Sorry, but it looks like I’ve sustained too much damage to fight under my own power anymore.”</p>
<p>“If that’s how it’s going to be, then I’ll get serious too. Sorry, Cu, but we have to use our last resort to defeat them once and for all,” Medb declared.</p>
<p>“Going for broke, huh? Since we’ve come this far, might as well.”</p>
<p>“He he… No matter what happens to you, I’ll always love you.”</p>
<p>“Shut up and get it over with already.”</p>
<p>“Yes, my king!” Medb beamed, then raised her hands before him. “It’s time for you to manifest, Demon God of the Armory! With the Mad King Cuchulainn as your vessel, appear before me and crush our enemies! Destroy everything and everyone in your path! Raze America to the ground with your flames, so that we may establish our glorious Celtic nation!”</p>
<p>“This is bad!” Mash snarled as she raised her shield.</p>
<p>Ritsuka bit his lip and moaned, “If we don’t do something quick-!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Haah!?”</em>
</p>
<p>The sharp gasp didn’t come from Cuchulainn or Medb. In fact, Ritsuka seemed to hear it from directly next to him. He turned to face Connla, who was clenching her chest and stumbling back with horrendously widened eyes. Her jaw dropped, and feeble yelps escaped her throat as she desperately fought against whatever was suddenly assailing her.</p>
<p>“What’s going on?” Rama wondered.</p>
<p>“Is she sick?” Nightingale asked and tried to approach the ailing child.</p>
<p>“N-No… Stay away… <strong><em>STAY AWAAA~AAAY!</em></strong><em>”</em> Connla shrieked and turned to flee the battlefield.</p>
<p>“HEY!” Cuchulainn shouted and took chase after her. Medb remained where she was, but appeared extremely confused about what was going on. Cuchulainn didn’t have to go very far to stop Connla, but he skidded to a sudden halt when he saw a terrible amount of blood seep through her bodysuit.</p>
<p>The child Servant hacked and coughed before buckling onto her knees and hunching forward. After several coughs, large amounts of blood spewed out of her mouth. Once she saw the deep red fluid, she pressed her hands against her cheeks and pitifully squealed, “Ah… Aaaah… AAAH!?”</p>
<p>“What’s wrong!?” Cuchulainn demanded as he kneeled over her and grabbed her shoulders to steady her. He tore off one of the bodysuit’s sleeves to see why she was bleeding so badly… and that was when he saw them.</p>
<p>Protruding from Connla’s skin, which had paled to a deathly white hue, were small diamond-shaped things that one would have mistaken for crystals. They were actually eyes, indicated by the slit pupils in each diamond, as well as how each one wriggled around on her flesh like peering eyeballs. The eyes agonizingly broke through her skin one by one, which had caused her to bleed out so badly. The encroachment was so virulent that even her cheeks and forehead were host to several smaller eyes. Her actual eyes had turned from brown to red, and black cracks formed around them as if she appeared seriously sleep deprived. Her lavender hair likewise turned white, so she barely resembled her original self anymore.</p>
<p><em>“Connie!?”</em> Medb screamed and ran to her foster daughter’s side. “Oh, this can’t be happening! This isn’t what I wanted! Why are you manifesting inside Connie instead of Cu!?”</p>
<p>“You’re kidding, right?” Mash wondered. “Are you saying the Demon Pillar’s been festering inside Connla instead of Cuchulainn!?”</p>
<p>The distraught queen ignored her and continued wailing, <em>“Why, why, why!?”</em></p>
<p>Connla stared at the Celtic royals with an empty gaze. She was so delirious that a dribble of saliva trickled out of her gaping lips.</p>
<p>“Stay with us!” Cuchulainn begged, grabbing her face and staring directly into her eyes.</p>
<p>“Father… Queen Medb…” she whimpered and shivered uncontrollably.</p>
<p>“It’s okay. We’re right here.”</p>
<p>“It’s… too late…”</p>
<p>“Has Halphas been affecting you the entire time?”</p>
<p>“Yes…”</p>
<p>“Why didn’t you say anything to me?”</p>
<p>Rama stepped forward and shouted, “You were summoned as a bloodthirsty killer who slaughtered everyone, friend and foe alike! What makes you think she would confide in a father who barely resembles the one she remembers!? No, not just you! All of you Celts are completely out of your minds! There was no way Connla would trust any of her own allies – not even her own family!”</p>
<p>“Indeed,” Nightingale agreed with a grim expression. “Because of her fear, she endured such an excruciating infection without seeking aid. The moment you both decided to have Halphas manifest, she must have realized that she needed to flee in order to protect us from her sickness.”</p>
<p>Both Cuchulainn and Medb were struck dumb by their harsh words. Connla’s trembling intensified, and she tried to crawl away from them. He forced her to stay where she was though, and he exclaimed, “You’re not getting away from me!”</p>
<p>“Getting… away…? Keh… keh heh heh…” she giggled in an unnatural tone. “I’m not… going… anywhere. It is you… who will soon… flee… from me…”</p>
<p>“Halphas!”</p>
<p>“Ke ke ke ke ke ke…” she continued chuckling for a moment. Then she suddenly stopped and glared at him with empty eyes before commanding, <em>“Get out of my sight.</em>”</p>
<p>Before anyone knew it, they were all sent flying back from an immensely powerful shockwave that emanated from Connla’s body. Rama and Nightingale collapsed onto the lawn, while Mash caught Ritsuka and landed at the bottom of the stairs. Cuchulainn held on to Medb tightly and used himself as a cushion to soften the impact for her.</p>
<p>“Ahh… What a splendid specimen…” Connla muttered as she sauntered to her feet and stretched her limbs. “The moment I saw this Servant, I knew I had to take possession of her Spirit Origin.”</p>
<p>“What are you talking about!?” Medb barked. “I summoned my ideal form of Cu precisely so I could give you the body of a powerful warrior like you always wanted!”</p>
<p>“That thing?” the corrupted girl shot a dirty look at Cuchulainn, regarding him like he was a piece of trash. “He was a decent offering to my armory, but a Servant that is molded from your demented imagination will always be flawed from the onset. Besides, once I savored a small taste of this Servant’s anguish, I knew she would make for a better host. Her suffering was far more pure and satisfying than Cuchulainn’s, especially since her own mother raised her immediately from birth to be nothing but a weapon that would slay him out of her own petty revenge. If one believes they are nothing but a weapon, then it is all the more fitting for me to add them to my storehouse.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, Queen of Connacht. I’ll destroy this era as you so wished. It just won’t be with the weapon of your choosing.”</p>
<p>“No!” the queen squealed in desperation. “Not with Connie! Anyone but her! She’s supposed to be my innocent little knight who will make this world better for everyone! Take me instead, if you want!”</p>
<p>“My judgment has been made. You are no longer in control of this war – <em>I am.</em>”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn got on all fours like a beast and clenched his sharp teeth. His rage couldn’t be described with words. Not only did he hate Halphas for corrupting Connla, he was likewise disgusted with himself for neglecting her. He acted like he cared about her, but all this time, she could tell that he actually didn’t give a damn about her well being, being more concerned with fighting the war and killing as many people as possible. If she suffered from such incredible loneliness without confiding in anyone, it was no wonder Halphas found her to be a most pleasing victim to target right under everyone’s noses.</p>
<p>Cuchulainn couldn’t stand it anymore.</p>
<p>“Damn you, <em>damn you, <strong>damn you…”</strong></em></p>
<p>With Gae Bolg in hand, he rushed at the mutated Connla and let out his angriest roar yet.</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>“HALPHAAA~AAA~AAAS!”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Clever One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 4: The Clever One</strong>
</p>
<p>After waking up from his nap and chatting with Medb, Cuchulainn decided to get up and see how Da Vinci’s research was progressing. After all, the whole point of him and Connla going to the Fifth Singularity’s remnants was to procure some data for her regarding Aisling interfering with the child Lancer’s Rayshifts. Da Vinci was confident that she only needed them to go once, but he didn’t share in her enthusiasm.</p>
<p>The door to the workshop whirred open, and the genius inventor discovered Cuchulainn stepping through while Medb eagerly hugged his arm like some lovey-dovey girlfriend. He tried to shake her off a couple of times, but her grip was simply too strong, so he just gave up and let her tag along. Da Vinci grinned as she said, “Oh, look who it is. I didn’t think I’d get paid a visit by everyone’s favorite Celtic couple.”</p>
<p>“Save your shipping fantasies for another time,” Cuchulainn grumbled bitterly. “You know why I’m here.”</p>
<p>“You bet I do. You just caught me in the middle of my work actually.”</p>
<p>“So did you get enough data to use?”</p>
<p>“I’m parsing through the numbers, but I think there’s something I can do with this. I just need some time though.”</p>
<p>“Fine. As long as you got a plan, then I’m satisfied.”</p>
<p>He was about to turn and leave, but Da Vinci blurted, “Hold on a second, mister. There’s something else I want to talk with you about.”</p>
<p>“Huh?” he faced her while giving her the stink eye. “What do you want?”</p>
<p>“While you and Connla were busy in the Singularity, I thought I’d give your doll body a little tune-up.”</p>
<p>“The hell? In what universe does a plushie need any sort of ‘tune-up’ beyond a little stitching?”</p>
<p>“Now, now, hear me out,” the inventor smirked coyly as she showed them the Mini-Cu doll on her desk. “The previous model was just a prototype that Connla could carry around, but I knew it would be an encumbrance when she needed to focus on fighting.”</p>
<p>“Guess you got a point.”</p>
<p>“So now this model comes with improved functionality.”</p>
<p>“In what way?”</p>
<p>“Why not stick your Spirit Origin inside it and give it a go?”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn snorted in annoyance, then reverted to his incorporeal mode and transferred himself into the toy. This time though, something felt different. He could feel his limbs and tail adjusting to the miniature body, whereas before he was basically ‘stuck in place’. The toy’s eyes visibly blinked a few times, then wriggled about on the table before sitting up and stretching.</p>
<p>“Oh… my… <em>god</em>…” Medb gasped under her breath, covering her mouth with her hands while blushing profusely.</p>
<p>“Hm? Am I actually moving around?” Mini-Cu wondered as he inspected himself.</p>
<p>Da Vinci giggled. “That’s right! This model is now mobile! Now you don’t have to worry about Connla having to hold you while in the middle of a fierce battle!”</p>
<p>“Hm-hm… For someone as flighty as you, I have to say that this isn’t bad.”</p>
<p>“Why, thank you very much. I thought it would be something nice to help her cheer up once she wakes up. Not only that, but I have some future plans in store for Mini-Cu that will add combat functionality.”</p>
<p>“That’d be fantastic,” he smirked. “Let me see if I can use Gae Bolg in this form.”</p>
<p>He raised his stubby little arm up and generated the deep violet version of his spear, now much smaller to accommodate for his size. Unable to resist it any longer, Medb suddenly darted across the room to try and snatch him up. He suddenly got into throwing position and hurled Gae Bolg at her head, which she had to dodge by crashing onto the floor. The weapon continued on its trajectory until it hit the center of a nearby dartboard.</p>
<p>“Heh. Very nice,” Mini-Cu muttered in satisfaction as he commanded it to return to his hand. “It ain’t perfect yet, but at least I don’t have to worry about slowing the kid down anymore.”</p>
<p>“I wish I could have finished it, but I’m always swamped with other work,” Da Vinci admitted. “You’re lucky I squeezed in the time to tinker with that whatsoever.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine. Figuring out the deal with Aisling comes first. I’ll leave you to it and check on the kid for now. Later.”</p>
<p>Mini-Cu hopped off the desk and trotted across the workshop, blatantly passing by the semi-conscious Medb before departing for the ICU. Da Vinci shifted her eyes down to the floor and asked the young queen, “How long do you plan on lying there?”</p>
<p>“Ahh…” Medb happily crooned. “I think I’m in love…”</p>
<p>“Before you ask, I’m not making a second one for you. Now would you kindly get out of my workshop already?”</p>
<p>“Cuuu~uuu…”</p>
<p>“Oh boy. This is going to take a while.”</p><hr/>
<p>Back in the dream version of the Fifth Singularity, the other Cuchulainn Alter was already engaged with the corrupted Connla, now being used for the Demon God Pillar Halphas to manifest in. The exterior of the White House was practically demolished during the intense fight. Not only that, but Connla’s power was so incredible that she had already managed to slay Rama, Nightingale and Medb, while Mash had taken Ritsuka to a safe distance and concentrated on protecting him from Connla’s wrath. Now, through an unexpected twist of fate, victory solely depended on the Berserker they previously regarded as one of the primary enemies of this Singularity.</p>
<p>Fortunately for them, Cuchulainn proved to be as difficult to kill as the legends claimed. For all of the death and destruction surrounding them, he remained in fairly good shape to continue fighting. As Connla flipped back and landed several yards away from him, she dropped to one knee and gasped in exhaustion, then growled, “Damn it… This vessel is a lot weaker than I expected…”</p>
<p>“Serves you right for selecting her,” Cuchulainn smirked. “You should have known that, compared to me, she’s still just a trainee.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps so, but her despair is far more potent for me to utilize. Besides, she has defeated you multiple times in different worlds. There is no reason for me to doubt in her abilities.”</p>
<p>“So you think you can pull off the same stunt here? I don’t think so.”</p>
<p>Without another word, Cuchulainn made a mad rush for Connla while she was worn out. Their little exchange was enough for her to recover though, and she instantly dashed to the side in an attempt to blindside him. Her boots slid along the cracked pavement like it was ice as she skidded around to his hindside. He immediately realized what she was doing and whirled around to slam Gae Bolg against her spear, knocking it aside before she could stab him through the back. Their weapons flailed about in a raging storm of blades as they struggled to overcome each other. He was too strong for her to overpower, but she was too quick for him to actually hit.</p>
<p>Connla darted aside to avoid having her head skewered, but then he swung his tail and knocked her away with the force of a baseball bat hitting a ball. She tumbled along the ground, but then noticed that she was sailing toward Mash and Ritsuka. She vaulted backwards, then upside-down over them. The pair yelped in astonishment as they saw her grinning mirthfully at them. Ritsuka thought his heart would leap out of his throat as he commanded, “Mash, Noble Phantasm!”</p>
<p>“Yes! Activating Noble Phantasm!” the Demi-Servant declared, and her shield shone blue.</p>
<p>The wind picked up into a small tornado around Connla as she too prepared to use her strongest attack, then she called out, <strong><em>“Laoch Gan Finsceal!“</em></strong></p>
<p>A huge azure light shone around Mash as she screamed, <strong><em>“Lord Chaldeas!”</em></strong></p>
<p>The image of a castle fortress materialized into view for a few seconds, immediately before Connla shot for the pair as a streaking bullet of wind. No matter which angle she attempted to attack them from though, the barrier was simply too powerful for her to break through. She just bounced and ricocheted off it uselessly, which caused her a great deal of frustration. She had wasted a lot of energy trying to kill Ritsuka and Mash when she would have had better results with attacking Cuchulainn instead.</p>
<p><em>“Curse you, Chaldea!”</em> she raged as she hurled herself back and landed nearby. However, Lord Chaldeas was dispelled as Mash lost her strength. Connla hunched down low and snarled, <em>“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill every last one of you!”</em></p>
<p>Before she could move though, she felt a large hand snatch her upper arm. While she had been preoccupied with cursing the Chaldeans, Cuchulainn got in from behind and grabbed her before she could continue her assault.</p>
<p>“What are you-!?” Connla uttered, but then was immediately swept off her feet as he picked her up in front of him. Unable to use her spear, she tried to conjure an Ansuz Rune with her other hand so that she could at least toss a fireball directly at his face. He wouldn’t let her get that far though, as he cried out the fated words:</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Gae Bolg!”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>With a sickly crunch, he jammed the demonic spear through Connla’s back and chest, then his own chest until it broke through his back. Both of them exhaled dreadful gasps, and she threw her head back in shock and agony. Gae Bolg destroyed their hearts simultaneously, and they were left skewered together. Despite the pain, a strange sensation washed over Connla. It felt so warm and inviting, as if her very soul was enjoying a sunny day. Once she knew she was going to die, all of her fears, worries and regrets instantly vanished, and she was left feeling calmer than ever before.</p>
<p>At the same time, Gae Bolg destroyed Halphas’ core festering inside Connla, as well as the Holy Grail lodged within her. The Demon God Pillar’s hold on the child gradually weakened, causing the mutant eyes to fall off her body as harmless stones, and her clammy white skin returned to a healthy hue. Cuchulainn grabbed his daughter’s head and forced her cheek against his chest. Although he no longer had a heartbeat, she could still feel his warmth and smell his familiar musk.</p>
<p>“Father…” she whispered lightly, unable to say more than that.</p>
<p>“You’re safe now,” he murmured in her ear. “Get some rest.”</p>
<p>“Mm.”</p>
<p>Connla closed her eyes and, after exhaling a long sigh, quietly passed away. Cuchulainn turned his gaze toward Ritsuka and Mash, then said, “This victory’s yours, Master of Chaldea. No point in having the defeated stick around longer than needed.”</p>
<p>“Cuchulainn…” the male Magus moaned.</p>
<p>“Spare me your pity. The kid wouldn’t want any either.”</p>
<p>“Right.”</p>
<p>“Damn it,” the fallen Berserker grinned. “It’s strange. At a time like this, I’m wondering what it would have been like if she had joined your side instead of staying with me. She might have been able to behave more freely around you lot rather than constrain herself for my sake.”</p>
<p>“Then I’ll make this promise to you. If I ever summon her, then I’ll be sure to take very good care of her.”</p>
<p>“… Thanks.”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn closed his eyes. Both his and Connla’s forms shone, then gradually broke apart into miniscule particles. A minute later, the pair disappeared and returned to the Throne in silence.</p><hr/>
<p>Chaldea Connla felt herself disengage from her counterpart’s mind right after she died. She wasn’t sure what happened afterwards, but she was certain that that world would be safe from now on. She never imagined that she would be the threat to the world this time, but she was happy that Cuchulainn stopped her. Connla thought back to the <em>riastrad</em> version of him that she saw before, and of how scared she was of turning into something like him. Those worries were gradually starting to recede as she realized something important:</p>
<p>
  <em>I shouldn’t have to fear becoming a monster. If I do, Father will stop me before I can hurt anyone.</em>
</p>
<p>She closed her eyes and sighed sullenly.</p>
<p>
  <em>What an idiot I am. I should have realized it from the start.</em>
</p>
<p>She felt herself falling for a while as she quietly pondered on this new enlightenment. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she completely neglected to take in her abnormal surroundings. She probably would have continued dwelling on it had she not been suddenly interrupted by a strange little girl’s voice.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Where are you going?”</em>
</p>
<p>“Uh?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Your world is not that way.”</em>
</p>
<p>Connla regained her senses and looked around desperately. She realized that she had no clue where she was, nor could she see the world that she had been dreaming about anymore. Panic struck her as she murmured, “Oh no… I’m lost… And Father isn’t tethering his Spirit Origin with mine…”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Don’t worry. I’ll show you the way back home.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Who are you?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Forget about that for now. Just follow the sound of my voice.”</em>
</p>
<p>“O-Okay…”</p>
<p>Connla ‘swam’ in the ocean of shifting colors, listening carefully to the other person so that they acted as a beacon for her to follow. Over and over again, the second girl kept saying, <em>“Over here. That’s it, you’re going the right way. Just a little closer.”</em></p>
<p>“Where are you guiding me to?” the Lancer wondered.</p>
<p>
  <em>“To my ‘base’, if you would. You should be able to see it now.”</em>
</p>
<p>The mystery person was right. Connla could make out some kind of small island floating in the middle of the Kaleidoscope. She fell faster and faster, as if gravity suddenly became a concept here, until her feet touched down on the grass.</p>
<p>“Whoa,” she gasped in awe and glanced around at her surroundings. She appeared to be in the middle of an apple orchard, with numerous baskets filled to the brim with crisp, ripe fruit. The distinct smell of baking apples and cinnamon wafted her nostrils, and a nostalgic sensation welled within her soul. Although the sky was a bizarre mess of shifting colors, this isolated place was otherwise quaint and homely.</p>
<p>She looked over and noticed a small cottage tucked within the orchard. She thought she should knock on the door and ask if anyone was there, but it opened from the inside before she could even take a step. To her surprise, another little girl came outside and approached Connla with confidence in her gait and warmth in her smile. She wore a hooded lavender poncho that completely covered most of her head, shoulders, arms and upper torso, and the bodysuit she wore beneath was likewise the same purple hue. A thick pink scarf wrapped around her neck, and she had brown leather knee boots over her feet. She resembled a purple-cloaked <em>teru teru bozu</em>, the type of cloth dolls commonly seen in Japan that were used to wish for either sunny or rainy weather, depending on how they were hung.</p>
<p>Connla grew increasingly nervous as the other girl approached. She didn’t seem hostile, but her friendly demeanor was a little off-putting to Connla when she was used to others being rude to her. The stranger noticed this and stopped walking before asking, “What’s the matter? Do I frighten you that much?”</p>
<p>“N-No… I’m just a little confused… about what’s going on…”</p>
<p>“He he. You’re not the only one who was nervous about meeting one of their other selves. At least two or three of ‘us’ behaved the same way in the past.”</p>
<p>“An other self… I couldn’t believe it, but when I heard you calling to me, your voice sounded the same as mine. So you’re really another ‘me’?”</p>
<p>“Yes. I’m from a world that you haven’t witnessed yet.”</p>
<p>“Y-You know about me?”</p>
<p>“Of course. I’ve dreamed about you so many times that I feel like we’re friends already. But I understand that this is your first time actually meeting me, so I’ll be patient and wait for you to get used to my presence.”</p>
<p>“Um…” Connla stammered as she sat down on a large tree stump and attempted to process what the hell was going on. She was familiar with passively dreaming about her other selves and the experiences they went through. She never imagined that she would dive so deep into the Kaleidoscope that she wound up actually interacting with another one of her selves from a parallel world. Yet, here was another Connla that she had never met before, conversing with her as if it was no big deal.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry for overwhelming you,” the unknown Connla frowned and sat next to her counterpart. “Perhaps I should start from the beginning.”</p>
<p>“P-Please do. I really don’t understand what’s going on here. I mean, first of all, where are we anyway? Is this your actual world?”</p>
<p>“No. This is just a figment of my imagination taking shape in this realm between worlds. An ideal paradise that I shaped for myself… A Reality Marble, if you would.”</p>
<p>“So you’re sleeping as well?”</p>
<p>“I’m always in this dreaming state.”</p>
<p>Connla widened her eyes. “Always? You mean you never wake up?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I wake up here and there. It’s just that…” the other Connla murmured sadly, “Those rare times I do return to my body, years will have passed.”</p>
<p>“<em>Years!?</em> That’s insane! I feel uneasy just being out for a few weeks! How can you be asleep for years and not worry about what’s happening around you!?”</p>
<p>The hooded girl shrugged and replied, “There’s not much point in me being awake anyway. It’s not like I can go anywhere or do anything. I actually have more freedom like this.”</p>
<p>“Uh,” Connla paused. Her counterpart was deliberately being vague about her own circumstances, which only served to intensify her anxiety and curiosity.</p>
<p>“But enough about me,” the mystery Connla swiftly dismissed the topic. “I think we should introduce ourselves, but since we have the same Spirit Origin, there’s no need for us to say our True Names to each other.”</p>
<p>“Mm. Especially because of the geas…”</p>
<p>“Right? Instead, let’s call each other by nicknames. It’ll be much easier for us to keep track of each other. I’ve been doing that to other selves that I’ve met before, and I even gave you one already.”</p>
<p>“Did you?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. I’ve been calling you Geal, or the <em>Shining One</em>.”</p>
<p>Connla tilted her head and murmured, “Geal…”</p>
<p>“I go by Cliste. Some of our other selves have complimented on how smart I am, so I’ve decided to be called the <em>Clever One</em>.”</p>
<p>The Chaldean Lancer paused, then nodded and said, “Okay. I don’t mind.”</p>
<p>“Great,” Connla Cliste said and stood in front of her counterpart. “Let me show you around a bit.”</p>
<p>The two girls wandered around the orchard, and Cliste pointed at numerous points in the sky while happily explaining of the other Connlas she had met before and where their worlds were located. Geal didn’t say much since making contact with people from other worlds was simply too foreign a concept for her to grasp.</p>
<p>“You see that bright yellow area? Somewhere in there, Álainn is off on a spiritual journey to help as many people as she can,” Cliste explained.</p>
<p>“Is that right?”</p>
<p>“And then deep within the dark teal spot, Stuama is in the elementary division of the Grand Servant Academy, where young Servants train so that they can one day assist the seven Grand Servants in their battles against the evil Beasts that are scattered all across the galaxy.”</p>
<p>“Hm.”</p>
<p>“I actually have a lot of fun seeing how Stuama’s training is coming along, especially since she’s going to serve the Grand Lancer when she graduates.”</p>
<p>“Mm. I see…”</p>
<p>“Oh, and that totally white area is where Siúcra is- Hey, are you okay?” Cliste asked when she noticed Geal’s lack of enthusiasm. †</p>
<p>“I’m fine. I’m just trying to take this all in…”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sorry. I get so excited when I meet my other selves that I often get carried away. I have to remember that this is your first time talking to one of us. Maybe it’s best if I help you return to your world for now.”</p>
<p>“You mean there’s something I can do to return without Father acting as an anchor for me?” Geal wondered.</p>
<p>“Sure. I came up with a nifty little trick to navigate this space.”</p>
<p>Cliste pointed toward the multicolored sky again and explained, “Do you know why the rift between dimensions is called the Kaleidoscope? It’s because every world is as unique as the shifting colors of a kaleidoscope. Some worlds are just slightly different to each other, while others are so radically foreign that they are unrecognizable as realities stemming from the Greater History of Man. Even so, each one has its own character that can be identified as its own. In that vein, are you familiar with the RGB hex codes that computers use to create colors?”</p>
<p>“Hmm…” Geal mumbled for a moment. “I haven’t had the chance to use Chaldea’s computers very much, but I’m slightly versed in that concept.”</p>
<p>“Good enough. What I’ve done is assigned our other selves with such RGB codes so that I can filter them from the rest and return to their world more easily, if I wanted to. Of course, I’ve given myself one so that I can come back home. That’s the very reason I’ve been able to dream about your time in Chaldea, as well as reach out to the various worlds you dreamed about.”</p>
<p>Geal tilted her head in bewilderment. “So then, does that mean you’ve given me one of these ‘codes’ as well?”</p>
<p>“Of course. We should exchange codes so that we can meet again like this. Think of it like us exchanging phone numbers or email addresses.”</p>
<p>“Um… I don’t really understand how all of this works, so I can’t promise that it will be useful for me to know…”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it,” Cliste assured with an assuring grin. “You’re only just getting acclimated with your powers. I’ll keep visiting until you get better at controlling your consciousness while in the Kaleidoscope. Trust me – this won’t be our last meeting.”</p>
<p>“Oh.”</p>
<p>“All right then. My code is F7D8F9. Write it down the moment you wake up, got it?”</p>
<p>“Okay. What is mine?”</p>
<p>“I’ve given you the code A4FFDD. So long as you understand what unique color you represent in the Kaleidoscope, you should be able to pinpoint where your world is and go back without needing Father’s help.”</p>
<p>“I have no idea what color that’s supposed to be,” Geal admitted in a pathetic whimper.</p>
<p>“It’s okay. I’ll show you where it is,” Cliste said, then brought her alternate self to another section of the orchard. She pointed to a viridian section of the sky and explained, “See that bright mint green area? Your world is in there.”</p>
<p>“Hmm… I think you’re right…”</p>
<p>“Do you feel some kind of pulling sensation?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Your physical form is trying to wake up from this dream, but it can’t do it while the conscious mind is detached from the body. You should go back and log everything I’ve just told you while it’s still fresh in your memory.”</p>
<p>“So soon?” Geal wondered. “But we only just met.”</p>
<p>Cliste shook her head. “A dream is nice, but it can only last for so long.”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to keep you from doing your duties as a Servant of Chaldea. Your Master needs your help to correct the Singularities, along with resolving any incidents that may come up. We’ll have plenty of time to talk another time.”</p>
<p>“If you say so…”</p>
<p>“Don’t look so glum. Go on already.”</p>
<p>“M-Mm,” Geal reluctantly nodded, then hopped off the ground and floated toward her world. She stared at Cliste the entire time, and the hooded girl cheerfully waved at her counterpart until they were too far to see each other anymore.</p><hr/>
<p>In Chaldea, Connla woke up from her latest otherworldly dream with tears staining her face. She felt a peculiar shiver run through her spine, and she noticed that she was drenched in a cold sweat.</p>
<p>“Uh… A-Am I back…?” she whispered. She shuffled beneath the thick blankets and sat up, then turned her hands back and forth to make sure she still had motor functions.</p>
<p>“Hey,” she heard Cuchulainn Alter’s voice break through the silence.</p>
<p>“Uh? Father?”</p>
<p>Connla looked around, but couldn’t see him anywhere. He grunted, “Next to your pillow.”</p>
<p>She glanced over and discovered Mini-Cu sitting on the bed. He crawled onto her lap and asked, “How you feelin’?”</p>
<p>“F-Father?” she uttered in bewilderment. “What’s going on here? Why is the doll-?”</p>
<p>“Long story. It’s still the same doll, but Da Vinci messed with it so that I can move around while inside it.”</p>
<p>“Oh…”</p>
<p>“Never mind that. Are you okay? Did you have another one of those dreams?”</p>
<p>Connla swallowed hard, then nodded, “Mm. I also had one during our mission.”</p>
<p>“Damn. I suppose we should treat these as an everyday occurrence now.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know. I’ve slept plenty of times without experiencing anything. They mostly seem to happen whenever I’m stressed out or gravely injured.”</p>
<p>“Tch. Injuries are one thing, but you’re stressed out <em>all</em> the time, so it’s no wonder they occur so frequently.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry. I just have so much on my mind…”</p>
<p>Mini-Cu rubbed her head and said, “Hey, I wasn’t accusing you of anything. Just relax and take your time. I’ve asked Master not to take you anywhere other than the simulator, so you can rest all you want.”</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>Connla shuffled her legs over the side of the bed, then stood up and flexed her arms for a bit to make sure she was back in her proper body. She then noticed a pen and some paper on the bedside table and murmured, “Oh, I should make those notes before I forget.”</p>
<p>She took one of the pieces of paper and wrote while mumbling under her breath, “Cliste… F7D8F9. And then I’m Geal… A4FFDD. I think that was what she said.”</p>
<p>“What are you writing?” Mini-Cu wondered. He leapt off the bed and bounced butt-first on the table before taking a peek. He raised an eyebrow and muttered, “The heck are those supposed to mean?”</p>
<p>“It’s nothing to worry about,” she said as she stuck the paper inside her pocket. “I need to type up my reports about my latest dreams ASAP so that the others can read through them. I’m also kind of curious to see if Ms. Da Vinci was able to do anything with the data she got from our Rayshift.”</p>
<p>Mini-Cu grunted in consternation. He wasn’t convinced with her blatantly dismissive attitude, but he didn’t want to pressure her into talking. He hopped off the desk and climbed over Connla’s shoulder until he found the ideal spot to sit. He then said, “Don’t worry about Da Vinci. I just talked to her, and she’s busy working on something to deal with Aisling.”</p>
<p>“So I can just go straight to the library?”</p>
<p>“Yep.”</p>
<p>Connla nodded and left the ICU to go to the study area where various scholars and researchers congregated. Although she was satisfied that she managed to return to Chaldea safely, her chest felt strangely heavy while her head was so light that she thought it would fly off her shoulders. Compounding her troubles was that various colors suddenly swam in her sight like the surface of a soap bubble reflecting its chromatic hues on a sunny day. Connla breathed hard and pressed her fingers against her forehead, but she lost her balance and slumped to her knees.</p>
<p>“Whoops!” she heard a man’s voice cry out. She then felt a pair of gaunt hands snatch her shoulders and hold her upright as she leaned against the wall. The man then asked, “Are you all right?”</p>
<p>“Is that… Lord Sigurd?” she moaned, unable to make out the knight’s face through the mess of colors blocking her vision.</p>
<p>“I heard you returned from your excursion with Cuchulainn Alter and was seeking you out. I don’t even have to take a close look at you to see that your vision is behaving irrationally. Regain your senses before trying to move again.”</p>
<p>“Mm.”</p>
<p>For a long moment, she stared into Sigurd’s icy blue eyes, hoping they could help her focus. Then she experienced a brief hallucination where she saw him with an incredibly condescending and murderous expression, and his eyes had changed to a searing crimson color. Connla became frightfully pale and suddenly looked away from him while covering her face with her hands in panic.</p>
<p>“What’s the matter?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry. I’m just a little delirious.”</p>
<p>“Must be the aftereffect of wandering in the Kaleidoscope that is playing tricks on your mind. You should know by now that you have to pace yourself while in such a state.”</p>
<p>“I know. I just never thought it’d be this bad.”</p>
<p>“Well, I suppose this works out for me. There’s actually an experiment I’d like to try to help relieve you of these hallucinations. Since you’re in the midst of an episode, it’ll be easier for me to test some things out.”</p>
<p>“An experiment?”</p>
<p>“Cuchulainn Caster and I came up with some methods for helping you cope with your symptoms. Fine-tuning your cranial Runes is all well and good, but with a lack of viable options for actually removing them without causing permanent brain damage, we’ve had to find alternate ways to relieve the pressure your body experiences each time you witness the events of a parallel world. For now, I want you to come with me to my office.”</p>
<p>“You have an office?” Connla wondered as she tilted her head. This was the first time she was hearing such a thing. She was still rather weak in the knees, so Sigurd picked her up and carried her down the hallways to his own room. They entered, and Connla noticed right away that there was a station set up in a corner of the room specifically for performing eye examinations.</p>
<p>“Here we are. Stay nice and still while I check you out,” he murmured as he sat her down on the exam chair and took an ophthalmoscope to examine the pupils of her eyes. As he expected, he saw the various colors flowing around her ocular nerves and disrupting her vision. He grumbled to himself as he jotted some notes.</p>
<p>“Um, Lord Sigurd?” she wondered in a puzzled tone. “You’re not thinking of being an optician for Chaldea, are you?”</p>
<p>“Indeed I am. One must take care of their eyes, for they are the primary organ that allows us to interact with the world around us. With Roman already booked solid for other examinations, I decided to relieve him of any medical work regarding ocular health. Thus, I have been inspecting the other staff members’ eyes and preparing corrective lenses for them as needed. With the loss of all other signs of civilization outside this facility, I believed it was the least I could do for being invited as a Servant here.”</p>
<p>“Is that right? I never thought you were interested in such a thing. Although now that I think about it, we were in a period of time way before glasses were invented. How were you able to wear them when they were basically an anachronism in your lifetime?”</p>
<p>“These are the Crystallization of Wisdom,” he explained and adjusted his spectacles as if he was proud of them. “They’re the physical manifestation of the knowledge I gained after eating the dragon Fafnir’s heart. I suppose you could say they’re an extraneous accessory, but I feel most comfortable when wearing them.”</p>
<p>“Hmm…”</p>
<p>She decided not to pester him with too many questions as he examined her. Soon, he said, “Good. I think I’ve got enough to craft a pair for you.”</p>
<p>“Eh? Glasses for me?” Connla blurted.</p>
<p>“It is the countermeasure that Cuchulainn and I came up with. We devised a Runic formula that would lessen the effects of your hallucinations, and then I would apply them to these lenses. So long as you wear these while in the midst of an episode, you should be able to cope with daily life without having to worry about headaches or vertigo.”</p>
<p>“I never would have thought of that.”</p>
<p>Sigurd spent a few moments concentrating his energy on crafting a new pair of spectacles according to the measurements he took. Through Runic magic, a complete set of glasses materialized into existence. He then gave them to her and said, “Go ahead, try them on.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” she murmured, then carefully slid them over her nose. Right away, she noticed that the abnormal colors flowing in her vision disappeared, and she could now see correctly. In fact, the slight bit of pressure she was feeling in her brain also seemed to recover dramatically. Surprised by the results, she said, “Wow. They started working the moment I put them on.”</p>
<p>He grinned in delight and said, “They suit you very well.”</p>
<p>“Thank you so much, Lord Sigurd. I’ll be sure to take good care of them.”</p>
<p>“Very well. I am only doing my job here, so such thanks is unnecessary. All I want is for you to take better care of yourself. If I find you wandering around during an episode without them on, then I may have to be strict with you.”</p>
<p>“I understand. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”</p>
<p>With the exam over, Sigurd allowed Connla to leave, and she headed through the facility toward the library in a much better mood than before. The combination of her latest dream, meeting Connla Cliste, and Sigurd’s treatment greatly dispelled the depression she was feeling earlier. She felt like she had a lot more energy to devote to chronicling the two dreams she had so that Da Vinci, Zhuge Liang and the others could read them later.</p><hr/>
<p>AUTHOR’S NOTE:</p>
<p>† - The various Connlas throughout the saga address each other with Irish nicknames. For reference’s sake, the names mentioned here translate as follows:</p>
<p>Geal = Shining/Bright</p>
<p>Cliste = Clever/Smart</p>
<p>Álainn = Lovely/Beautiful</p>
<p>Stuama = Calm/Patient</p>
<p>Siúcra = Sweet/Saccharine</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Bad Luck Streak</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 5: Bad Luck Streak</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Can I really do this…?</em>
</p>
<p>A Japanese woman in her mid-20s sat on the side of her bed and clutched her nightgown. She was in the throes of yet another one of her severe panic attacks. Her breathing was chaotic, her chest felt heavy from some kind of immense weight pressing down on it, and her stomach rumbled in desperation for food after having gone two days without any sustenance beyond water and crackers. Blankets and sheets were strewn about on the bed – a distinct sign that the woman had barely gotten any sleep after tossing and turning for hours on end.</p>
<p>
  <em>I can’t take this anymore.</em>
</p>
<p>She reached for a bottle of antidepressants on the bedside table, but it was already empty. The sedatives she asked Roman to prescribe for her had run out as well. No matter how much medication she took, her rampant thoughts refused to subside.</p>
<p>
  <em>Being one of the last people in the world… out of billions…</em>
</p>
<p>She clenched her forehead and gasped in despair.</p>
<p>
  <em>Why me? Why did I have to take on this absurd job? If I had known this was going to happen, I would have turned it down and allowed myself to be swallowed by the Incineration. To be expected to save all of humanity along with less than a hundred people and a bunch of familiars…</em>
</p>
<p>She stumbled off the bed and went to the small kitchen in the corner of her room.</p>
<p>
  <em>Screw it. I’m tired of this bullshit.</em>
</p>
<p>She procured a sharp knife before heading for the washroom in silence.</p><hr/>
<p>That afternoon, Connla was running around delivering papers and books to fulfill a backlog of requests for the researchers and Servants who were otherwise too busy to leave their respective laboratories. It was just an ordinary day for the diligent child Servant. She always felt a small sense of pride whenever she could cross off an item on her long list of duties, knowing that she was just one step away from being allowed to take a break without being too hard on herself. As always, Mini-Cu remained perched on his favorite spot over her shoulder, but he didn’t say anything to disrupt Connla’s work.</p>
<p>At the moment, she headed for another scientist’s personal quarters. The nameplate read <em>Tachibana Hinata</em>, and she knocked on the door several times while calling out, “Ms. Tachibana? It’s Little Lancer. Ms. Da Vinci wanted me to have a word with you about some research you were doing.”</p>
<p>No one responded right away, which piqued her curiosity since the young scientist was always aggressively lecturing her coworkers about punctuality. She knocked again and exclaimed, “Are you there, Ms. Tachibana?”</p>
<p>Silence greeted her again, and she tilted her head in confusion. She knew the researcher <em>had</em> to be in her room, so it was strange that she wasn’t responding. Connla keyed in the code to open the door from the outside, then announced, “Pardon the intrusion.”</p>
<p>At first, nothing looked unusual. As she stepped onto the rug though, her socks immediately became damp due to a large amount of water saturating the fibers. She gasped and looked down to discover that the water was coming through the crack on the bottom of the door leading to the bathroom. The whole thing was so unusual that she was genuinely perplexed as to what was going on. She swallowed hard and held Mini-Cu closer to her chest, gathering the courage to go in the washroom and investigate.</p>
<p>She pressed her hand against the door, then gently nudged it open…</p><hr/>
<p>In the doctor’s office, Ritsuka was in the middle of her routine medical check-up with Roman. He instructed to her, “All right, open wide.”</p>
<p>“Aaah,” the young Master uttered as she pried open her jaw and let him examine her mouth with a tongue depressor.</p>
<p>“Hmm… Looks good. I’ll have to schedule a dental cleaning sometime soon, but as long as you eat properly, you should be okay for another month.”</p>
<p>“Ugh, you know I don’t like those…”</p>
<p>“You don’t like dentistry?”</p>
<p>“I don’t mind having my teeth cleaned. I just don’t like the <em>dentist</em> in particular.”</p>
<p>“That’s harsh. I’ll have you know that studying medicine and dentistry simultaneously is not an easy task for anyone, let alone me,” the doctor grumbled. “Or would you rather have Nightingale do it in my stead?”</p>
<p>With a wry glare, Ritsuka immediately blurted, “Not a chance.”</p>
<p>“Ha ha. If you don’t like it, why not try summoning a Servant who knows a thing or two about teeth?”</p>
<p>“That’s an oddly specific requirement for someone to be registered in the Throne of Heroes for.”</p>
<p>“Oh, you never know. There’s Hesy-Re, the Egyptian scribe credited as history’s first dentist. Or you could try Paul Revere, or Pierre Fauchard.”</p>
<p>“I’ll think about it.”</p>
<p>While the two were joking with each other, they heard a pair of feet scrambling into the office. The door slammed open, and a slightly obese blonde-haired man barked in a distinctly French accent, “Hey, Roman! There’s a huge emergency!”</p>
<p>“Whoa there, Meuniere,” Roman uttered. “What’s all the fuss about?”</p>
<p>Jingel Abel Meuniere, who preferred to go by his surname, struggled to fix his unkempt glasses that slid off his nose as he shouted, “No time for explanations! Just get to Tachibana’s room as quickly as you can!”</p>
<p>Ritsuka and Roman glanced at each other for a second, then scrambled out of their chairs and followed Meuniere down the winding hallways. Already they could see a small crowd of staff and Servants gathering around the entrance, and the trio had to force their way through to get inside. There, they discovered Boudica and Minamoto-no-Raikou kneeling over an absolutely distraught Connla. The two women were doing their best to calm the girl down, but she was utterly inconsolable.</p>
<p>“What happened here!?” Roman demanded.</p>
<p>Despite the stressful situation, Raikou kept her composure as she explained, “Tachibana slit her wrist in the bathroom.”</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>“What!?”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>“Connla found her just now,” Boudica added, and her expression grew especially grim. “I took a quick look to be sure I could do anything, but there’s no saving her.”</p>
<p>“So she’s dead?” the doctor asked as he entered the bathroom. A couple of Servants had already removed the corpse from the edge of the tub, where she had dunk her slit arm in running water and let herself die of exsanguination. Roman performed a basic autopsy, then shook his head and announced, “Rigor mortis has already set in her jaw. It’s safe to say that two hours have passed since she died.”</p>
<p>Ritsuka kneeled in front of Connla and tried to help calm her down, while asking Boudica, “When did she find Tachibana?”</p>
<p>“About five minutes ago. Raikou and I were passing by when we heard the most awful shriek ever.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” the lovely Berserker swordswoman moaned sadly. “Oh, it was so dreadful. If the door hadn’t been closed, I fear I could have gone deaf from hearing such a despairing cry. I was relieved to see that the little one was safe, but as for Tachibana, well…”</p>
<p>Ritsuka bit her lip for a moment, then muttered through broken gasps, “Was it suicide?”</p>
<p>Meuniere approached them and said, “We’ll have to do a thorough investigation, but it certainly looks like it.”</p>
<p>“I see…”</p>
<p>Boudica gently stroked Connla’s back while imploring, “You heard Roman, right? It happened two hours ago. There was nothing you could have done to save her. Finding her and letting us know is the best thing for all of us, you hear?”</p>
<p>“But… but… uuuh… aaaah!” the child Lancer bawled uncontrollably.</p>
<p>“Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Raikou said, and she and Boudica helped Connla walk out of the room. The girl’s gait was so unsteady that they had to help her stay upright.</p>
<p>“What a disaster,” Roman sighed sullenly. He then told Meuniere, “Inform Sanson that there’s work in the morgue for him. I’ll be there to assist him shortly.”</p>
<p>“On it.”</p><hr/>
<p>It didn’t take long for word to get around throughout Chaldea about Tachibana’s suicide. After Roman and Sanson autopsied the body, the doctor allowed the executioner to perform gravekeeper duties so that she would be buried with customary rites. After the time Lev Lainur betrayed Chaldea and caused so many deaths, no one thought the morgue would ever see operation again since there were so few people remaining, all of whom were young and ready to work their hardest to save humanity. Not only that, there were absolutely no warning signs of Tachibana being so depressed that she would wind up ending her own life. Roman decided that he needed to rally some staff and Servants to form a counseling team who could be called upon for advice should anyone need it.</p>
<p>Alas, those necessary steps came far too late for Connla. She was so upset that she refused to leave her room for the remainder of the day. Boudica and Raikou stayed by her side until she cried herself to sleep, then promised they would check on her tomorrow before leaving her be. Even though she was incredibly stressed out, she actually didn’t have another one of her parallel world dreams that night. Deep down, she was hoping she could see Connla Cliste again and tell her what happened, but it never occurred.</p>
<p>At the same time, Ritsuka was likewise having trouble sleeping. She had made friends with Tachibana before, so to suddenly lose that companionship was quite the shock to her. Roman suggested that she not partake in any missions for the rest of the day, so she just returned to her room and laid down on her bed. She was able to get a decent nap during the afternoon, but by the evening, she was too wound up to go back to sleep. Not only was Tachibana’s death affecting her, she was also very concerned about Connla and how she was faring after discovering such a grisly scene.</p>
<p>
  <em>I think I’ll go see how she’s doing.</em>
</p>
<p>Ritsuka left her room and headed for Connla’s door before entering. The lights were not turned on, but the monitor’s light illuminated the area as the girl watched a documentary. She kept herself wrapped beneath layers of blankets while holding Mini-Cu close. She initially didn’t regard her Master’s presence, but once Ritsuka came closer, she had no choice but to acknowledge her.</p>
<p>“Hey there,” the Mage murmured quietly. “Are you doing all right?”</p>
<p>“Master…” Connla moaned, and her eyes appeared noticeably heavier than ever before.</p>
<p>“I know. We lost such a good friend. If you’re thinking you could have done anything to help her, then stop it. She was already long dead when you found her. Plus, she never confided with me about what was wrong with her, even though we were close with each other. Perhaps it’s because I’m so busy with the Grand Orders, but I failed to notice anything. Maybe I don’t really have any right to call myself her friend if I was that oblivious to her suffering.”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>Ritsuka sighed, then wrapped her arm around the child’s shoulder and whispered, as if consoling herself more than Connla, “There was nothing we could have done…”</p>
<p>They were silent for a few minutes as the documentary droned on in the background. Then Connla murmured, “I was… actually thinking of something else.”</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>“Well… Maybe this sounds a little selfish of me, but…”</p>
<p>“Go ahead and tell me.”</p>
<p>“The thing is… I have such horrible luck. Whenever I overcome one problem, another one seems to pop up right away. It feels like I can never get a break from everything and just be myself… whatever ‘being myself’ happens to be. I’ve even heard other Servants joke about how I’ve become the poster child of Lancers with terrible luck stats.”</p>
<p>“They shouldn’t be saying such things behind your back. I ought to have a word with them about that.”</p>
<p>“No,” Connla shook her head. “I think they’re right. I am a harbinger of misfortune, aren’t I? Even Mother despised me for the misery she felt from being forced to give birth to me. It’s gotten so bad that it’s become a running joke to compare me to Odysseus’ constant ill fortunes.”</p>
<p>“That’s too cruel for you to say that about yourself. None of what has happened is your fault.”</p>
<p>“But even so…” Connla choked up for a moment, then stared the teenager in the eye and sobbed, “Maybe… Maybe I should… um…”</p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p>“I should… retire… as your Servant…”</p>
<p>Ritsuka wasn’t sure what the Lancer meant. She raised an eyebrow and asked, “Retire?”</p>
<p>“As in… go back… to the Throne…”</p>
<p>“What!? Why would you say such a thing!?” the Master shouted angrily, clearly not expecting such a demoralizing response.</p>
<p>“But I just keep slowing everyone down. I’m not good at fighting like Father is, I sleep for weeks on end, and I bring nothing but trouble for everyone here. I haven’t even accompanied you on an official mission for Chaldea. I’ve either fought in the simulator to gather QP or materials for you, or I’ve been dragged into strange incidents being caused by someone other than the King of Mages. That must be putting such a burden on Chaldea’s resources when you are all stretched so thin. And now with Ms. Tachibana’s death, your work’s going to be that much harder, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Well I suppose, but-“</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t it be best to offload dead weight like me while you can? The fewer people there are, the easier it will be to-”</p>
<p>Now Ritsuka was visibly furious, and she made it known by snapping, “That’s enough! If you’re trying to joke with me, then it’s not funny!”</p>
<p>“But I wasn’t-”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Sit up straight!”</em>
</p>
<p>Connla yelped and immediately sat in a rigid position. The Mage continued, “If there are two things I do not tolerate from my Servants, it is infighting and self-depreciation! Each and every one of you has an important role in this organization, whether it is in combat or helping with daily life! That’s especially true since we’re literally the only ones left in this world who can do anything against the King of Mages! If we wind up losing too many people like this, the survivors will be too dispirited to keep up the good fight, and that really will be the end of humanity as we know it!”</p>
<p>“Master…”</p>
<p>“What I’m saying,” Ritsuka murmured as she hugged the child Servant, “is that you shouldn’t give up. I know how hard you’re trying to find your place here. You’ve been dabbling in all sorts of chores and activities, yet you don’t seem dedicated to anything in particular. You might think your contributions are minimal, but many staff and Servants are telling me of how much you help them regardless. Not only that, but despite what they say about you, they’re also extremely worried about you.”</p>
<p>“They are?”</p>
<p>“Of course. They seem to have trouble admitting it to you though out of fear that it’ll make you more distant from everyone. Why don’t you go around and ask them what they think about you some time?”</p>
<p>Connla sighed, then murmured, “That’s kind of weird for me to do. I mean, what you’re telling me doesn’t match with what Mother taught me.”</p>
<p>Ritsuka shook her head and retorted, “You already know that Aife didn’t care about you. I’m not sure what exactly she taught you about interacting with others, but she must have lied through the skin of her teeth to get you to behave the way she wanted. She even went so far as to raise you in an isolated place devoid of social contact. That’s why you’re so confused – her lies are clashing with reality.”</p>
<p>The Servant became disturbingly quiet as she thought about her mother. While growing up, she wholly believed that society at large was cruel and unfeeling, and that she needed to be a warrior who could take care of herself without relying on others for comfort or advice. Having served Chaldea for a few months now, Connla was starting to see that the truth wasn’t as simple as Aife let on. Sure, there were unsavory characters who would happily cause harm to those around them, and she certainly needed to be ready to deal with them. But at the same time, there were plenty of good people who would go out of their way to extend a helping hand to those in need. Connla had never experienced such goodwill while growing up, so it was no wonder she felt out of place in an organization where the concepts of ‘friend’ and ‘enemy’ didn’t matter so long as everyone struggled to their utmost to save humanity.</p>
<p>Ritsuka patted Connla’s head and said, “You look like you’re feeling a little better.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know… My chest still feels rather heavy…”</p>
<p>“Why don’t we go for a walk then? Confining yourself like this isn’t good for you.”</p>
<p>“Mm.”</p>
<p>They got up and headed for the simulator, where Ritsuka projected a realistic depiction of a beach on one of Okeanos’ islands at nighttime. The sound of gently rolling waves already served to calm both of them down, and Connla took Ritsuka’s hand as they walked along the quiet shoreline. Although the simulation facility was small, it could warp time and space so that the beach stretched on for miles without them worrying about hitting any walls. The cool wind brushed their hair and skin, and the moon shone bright upon the tumbling ocean waves.</p>
<p>“Look at that,” Ritsuka pointed to a large seashell jutting out of the sand. She pulled it out and showed it to her Servant. “It’s really pretty, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“What is this supposed to be?”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s right. You grew up in the mountains, so you don’t know much about the sea. You see, this is called a-“</p>
<p>Ritsuka spent some time explaining the various objects one could find at a beach, such as shells, starfish, deadwood, seaweed, and even the sand itself. Connla even noted how salty the area smelled due to the ocean water. Before they knew it, they had spent two hours exploring the simulation, which helped them get their minds off of what happened earlier that day. However, they would be interrupted when someone made the door to the simulator slide open, momentarily creating an unnatural gap in the otherwise vast scenery.</p>
<p>“Ah…” Connla mumbled in surprise when she saw who stepped through, and she nervously clutched Ritsuka’s shirt.</p>
<p>A familiar blonde-haired man with gemstone-like ruby eyes approached the pair. He wore black clothes beneath a full set of golden armor that accentuated both his regal and divine bearing. He was none other than humanity’s oldest Heroic Spirit – Gilgamesh, the King of Sumeria, seeker of immortality, a wise yet tyrannical king, and the owner of unimaginable wealth. Of all of Ritsuka’s Archer-class Servants, she definitely regarded him as her most valued and felt honored to have summoned him early in her journey as a Master, although she had trouble deploying him for anything other than the grandest of missions such as destroying Demon God Pillars or taking on large hordes of enemies.</p>
<p>“There you are, my laudable contractor,” the King of Heroes declared. “Normally I would have you put through the gamut for not heeding my summons, but my understanding is that there has been some sort of commotion between the mongrels.”</p>
<p>“My apologies, Your Highness,” Ritsuka bowed her head. “I didn’t know you were calling for me. I was just taking Connla out for a walk.”</p>
<p>He glanced over at the child Servant and noticed how anxious she appeared. She didn’t even have the energy to make eye contact out of fear of offending him, preferring to hang her head low and stare at the sand. He furrowed his brow and muttered, “I would say that is quite the unusually melancholic expression for a proud Heroic Spirit, but at this point, I’m not surprised that it is the runt sporting such an ugly visage. What exactly happened between you rabble?”</p>
<p>Ritsuka took a few minutes to briefly explain about the suicide to Gilgamesh. He narrowed his eyes and murmured, “I see. So the mongrel Tachibana could not shoulder the responsibility of saving humanity, and opted to use an easy method of escaping her duties.”</p>
<p>“Please don’t say that, sire,” the Master implored. “You’ll make Connla even more upset than usual.”</p>
<p>“I will say as I please, and I am one to state exactly what the circumstances are. One who cannot handle even the weight of a feather’s worth of duties is worth even less than a microcosm of my time. As one who is expected to carry the weight of the world, I find such escapism from a commonplace coward most deplorable. Someone who breaks into pieces from even the slightest bend is naught more than a joke to me!”</p>
<p>“Well…”</p>
<p>“Hear me well, runt,” Gilgamesh interrupted Ritsuka as he addressed Connla. “Cease shedding tears for such a third-rate imbecile. Those who resort to suicide are cowards who only think about themselves. They fail to consider what would happen to those they consider dear. There is potential for such demonic thoughts to be inherited by the ones left behind. Stoop yourself to that level, and you will discover that no one will want to mourn for you.”</p>
<p>Connla became silent, unable to refute his logic.</p>
<p>“Never forget this!” the Sumerian king barked, as if commanding her to stand up straight and listen. “You are a Heroic Spirit of Chaldea, and thus an intrinsic part of my forces! I will not stand to be called the King of Heroes if the heroes spawned from my great deeds are as meek and feeble as that Tachibana wench! My word, my very skin crawls with sheer revulsion every time I have to utter that repulsive name! But that is that, and this is this! Anyway, if you tread down such a path, then you risk tarnishing my impeccable reputation! I will not allow such shame to sully my honor! I will not have the King of Mages laugh at my face as he desecrates my glorious image by reminding me of the weaklings who serve me!”</p>
<p>“Um… uh…” she uttered, clearly at a loss for whether or not he was punishing her or trying to encourage her.</p>
<p>“Fu ha ha ha. I must admit, your muddled expression does garner a fleeting moment of mirth. But do not misunderstand me; I may have grand expectations for how my subjects should behave, but there are some things which should only be savored through small nibbles, if not outright forbidden. Alas, dragging out a growing girl’s pitiful state is one such flavor that my palate has trouble appreciating any further. There is only so much entertainment to be found in another’s sorrow before it becomes comically dull.”</p>
<p>“So you’re telling her to cheer up?” Ritsuka wondered.</p>
<p>“Is that the parlance you mongrels use to express such a thing? Well, no matter. I have spoken my piece. I expect the runt to conquer her grief soon, especially if she wants any prayer of being useful to this organization’s goals, never mind to me.”</p>
<p>Having made his opinion known, he turned on his heel and began to stride away. However, he paused in mid-step and said, “Ah… Now that I think about it, there is one more thing I must address.”</p>
<p>He cast his shining crimson eyes upon the bewildered Lancer and tersely said these words before departing:</p>
<p>“Don’t let me hear you utter the word ‘retire’ <em>ever</em> again.”</p><hr/>
<p>Two days later, someone knocked on the door to Connla’s room. She raised an eyebrow perplexedly, having not expected to see anyone that day. She opened the door and found someone standing there with a big grin on his face.</p>
<p>“Father!” she exclaimed upon seeing Cuchulainn Lancer.</p>
<p>“Yo,” the spearman greeted her. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”</p>
<p>“It really has been. What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>“Well y’see, I’ve been hearing about the trouble you’ve been getting into lately. I often have my hands tied with hunting for Ascension materials, so I ought to apologize to you for not hanging out with you more often.”</p>
<p>“No, don’t worry about it. Alter’s been stuck to me like glue, so I’m not as lonely as you think,” Connla said as she showed Mini-Cu to him.</p>
<p>“Alter, huh? That guy may be gloomy as fuck, but at least he’s a thousand times more responsible than me. If anything happens to me, I’m confident that you’ll be in good hands with him.”</p>
<p>“Mm. Anyway, there’s something I’ve been noticing about you.”</p>
<p>“Hm? What is it?”</p>
<p>“I usually see you training with a lot of the same female Servants like Queen Marie Antoinette, Mata Hari and Tamamo Cat. I’m kind of surprised that you don’t fight alongside the men that often.”</p>
<p>Cuchulainn winced, then replied, “I-It helps me concentrate better. There’s just something about the ladies that gets me pumped to fight even harder than usual.”</p>
<p>“Like you’re trying to protect them?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s it!”</p>
<p>Connla mumbled to herself, then said, “Maybe I ought to try the same thing. I’ll invite some men into my party and-“</p>
<p>“Ah, no, no, no, no! You will do no such thing!” he suddenly blurted.</p>
<p>“Why not? It works for you, so why wouldn’t it work for me?”</p>
<p>“Gah!” Cuchulainn gasped as he realized he had dug himself into a proverbial pit. “It’s because… Because, uh… Because you’re still just training! You should work on the basics first before attempting any advanced tactics like that!”</p>
<p>“Oh, I see. So I would be putting the cart before the horse if I tried it myself.”</p>
<p>“Exactly!”</p>
<p>Connla tilted her head, wondering why he looked so flustered all of a sudden. Off to the side, Mini-Cu gave him the meanest stink eye he could muster, as if silently urging his counterpart to stop this conversation immediately. Oblivious to this little exchange, she asked, “So do you want me to do some more training today?”</p>
<p>He sighed in relief, then said, “No, not this time. I actually want to spend the afternoon shopping around some city with you.”</p>
<p>She murmured to herself, then said, “Shopping… I don’t think I’ve ever done such a thing before…”</p>
<p>“Then there’s a first time for everything! Come on, get dressed.”</p>
<p>“In what?”</p>
<p>“Normal clothes you wear while out in public. What else?”</p>
<p>“I don’t think I have such garments. I only have my combat outfit and some nightgowns.”</p>
<p>“Ugh… Guess I have no choice,” Cuchulainn grumbled as if he was resigning himself to something he didn’t want to do. He took Connla’s hand and said, “Come with me for a minute. I know someone who will fix that for you.”</p>
<p>He took her through the facility until they reached a specific Servant’s room, then he gently knocked on the door and blurted, “Sorry for the intrusion, but I need your help with something.”</p>
<p>After a short pause, a familiar woman’s voice called out from the other side, “Is that you, Lancer? Sorry, but I don’t have time to play fetch with you.”</p>
<p>He became visibly irate as he shouted, “What’s with that attitude!? I need help finding some clothes for my kid! I thought you would be the best person for the job, but to hell with it if you’re going to act like you have something jammed up your ass!”</p>
<p>“What a rowdy boor you are, Hound of Ulster. Fine, cease your barking – I’ll be there in a moment,” the lady retorted, then stepped through the door.</p>
<p>“Ah…” Connla gasped.</p>
<p>The Servant who appeared before them was none other than Medea, the infamous Witch of Colchis and Caster-class Servant of Kuzuki Soichirou during the Fuyuki Grail War dream. The violet-garbed sorceress made eye contact with the child Lancer, and her stern glare immediately softened as she said, “Oh! You’ve finally healed from your injuries?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” the girl bowed. “Master said that you came to visit me shortly after you were summoned.”</p>
<p>“That I did. So you’re Cuchulainn’s little one? I never would have expected such a polite little lady to be the daughter of this uncouth excuse for a human being,” Medea said as she glared at Cuchulainn.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, quit baring your fangs at me, woman,” he grunted, then explained, “Look, I just want to see if you can hook her up with some casual clothes for shopping in the city. You’re into the whole tailoring and dollmaking thing, aren’t you? That’s why you were the first person who popped into my head for this job.”</p>
<p>“Clothes, hm? Well as luck would have it, I have a set all ready to go for her. Of course, it’s not going to come cheap.”</p>
<p>“I’ll pay for it.”</p>
<p>“Then it’s a done deal. Come inside, missy,” Medea took Connla’s hand and ushered her inside the room. Cuchulainn attempted to follow them in, but was immediately repelled by an invisible ward that the sorceress had set up. She then snapped, “No men allowed. Or did you intend to peep on your own daughter while she’s changing?”</p>
<p>Without another word, she slammed the door shut, and he clenched his teeth while growling, “Yeesh…”</p>
<p>Connla sat down on the sofa and waited as Medea rummaged through her closet stuffed full of various outfits. She couldn’t help but think back to when her counterpart fought against Medea’s counterpart and Soichirou in the church. The shock of watching Emiya Archer assassinate the other Medea right before her eyes had subsided somewhat, but it was disturbing to know that she had witnessed a Servant’s death while interacting with that very same Servant in a different time, place and atmosphere. Connla was sure that Chaldea’s Emiya would not do such a thing to this Medea, yet she couldn’t ignore that the possibility was always there.</p>
<p>“What’s the matter? You look rather gloomy,” Medea wondered, then shifted her eyes toward Mini-Cu and grumbled, “Not as gloomy as that godforsaken doll though.”</p>
<p>“No, it’s nothing to worry yourself over. I just have a lot on my mind.”</p>
<p>“That’s not good. A growing girl shouldn’t brood too much, or else she’ll get wrinkles before she knows it. Maybe this will help you out.”</p>
<p>From the closet, the sorceress extracted a clothes hanger with some apparel attached to it. There was an oversized sweater with green sleeves and a white torso section with a large pink heart sewn on the front. It also came with some pink pantyhose, loose green socks, and large white sneakers with heart patterns on the side. Connla took them and went into the other room to change, especially since she didn’t want Medea to see the numerous scars covering her body. She came out a few minutes later and asked, “Is this okay?”</p>
<p>Medea gushed, “Oh, this is just too precious! Let me check the measurements and take a few photos, then I’ll let you be on your way.”</p>
<p>“Sure.”</p>
<p>Connla stood still and spread her arms out wide while Medea examined her for a few minutes. The Lancer couldn’t resist the urge any more, and she wondered, “Can I ask you something, Lady Medea?”</p>
<p>“Of course. What is it?”</p>
<p>“Why did you come to see me in the ICU right after you had been summoned? There’s no way either of us had made contact before then, so what compelled you to visit me?”</p>
<p>“Well…” the Caster paused hesitantly. “To be honest, I’m not quite sure. I don’t have any memories beyond what I experienced in my original life, so anything that I do here will be brand new. Even so, for some reason, I kept seeing your face as you pleaded with me. I don’t know what you were saying, but you looked so sad for me. I can’t exactly say it was common pity or sympathy you were expressing, but something else… Like, some kind of kinship? Or acceptance?”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Medea bitterly chuckled to herself. “I know I’m being silly. There’s no way anyone would want to accept an infamous traitor like myself. Although, I can’t help but feel like there <em>had</em> been someone who accepted me regardless of my past, but I can’t put a face to such a person. I’m sure it was a man, and that he wasn’t one of those shallow pretty-boys that always get on my nerves, but that’s it.”</p>
<p>Connla closed her eyes and thought, <em>Kuzuki Soichirou…</em></p>
<p>“I’m sure it’s just my imagination playing tricks on me. I know it’s too risky to so easily trust myself to anyone.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think so,” the child Servant suddenly said. “I can say with certainty that you’re not imagining it.”</p>
<p>“Hm? What ever do you mean?”</p>
<p>“When you get some time, you should go through the Dream Diary entries I’ve been writing.”</p>
<p>Connla briefly explained her Imbas Forosnai ability to Medea, then said, “Of them, the second major record should interest you the most. The perspective is limited to what I saw from my counterpart’s point of view, and I’m not exactly the best writer around, but I think it may help explain that feeling you have.”</p>
<p>“Are you saying I could very well have some lingering memory of that world?” Medea wondered, clearly surprised by what she was hearing.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to make any guarantees, but it’s a possibility.”</p>
<p>“Hm… All right then. I appreciate you telling me that. When I get some time, I’ll read through it and see if I can remember anything.”</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>“And done!” the sorceress beamed as she finished adjusting Connla’s new clothes. “I’ll bug your father for the payment later. You run along and have fun now.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Lady Medea,” the girl said, then reunited with Cuchulainn back in the hall. While she was busy, he took the time to change into a simple yet flashy Hawaiian shirt, black pants and shoes.</p>
<p>“Whoa, lookin’ snazzy there, kid,” he commented with a wide grin as he rubbed her head. “You ready to go?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” she replied as she tucked Mini-Cu under her arm. “Before we do anything though, I want to see if Ms. Da Vinci has figured out a way to let me Rayshift without Aisling interfering.”</p>
<p>“Ah, right. Can’t have that bastard screwing things up for us.”</p>
<p>They headed to Da Vinci’s workshop, where the inventor was peering through a magnifying scope and polishing some kind of tiny gemstone. Connla said, “Pardon the intrusion. I wanted to speak with you about whether or not I’m allowed to Rayshift now.”</p>
<p>“Ah, perfect timing,” Da Vinci said, then approached her with the gem. “I’m just making this thing nice and shiny before giving it to you.”</p>
<p>“What is this supposed to be?”</p>
<p>“I could go all day into explaining the specifics, but I’ll spare you the details and just say it’s an anti-Aisling amulet. I was planning on fastening it to your ring. Can you show it to me for a second?”</p>
<p>Connla became perplexed as she showed her the ring affixed to her right thumb, and the inventor carefully inspected it on her work table before finding a spot to safely wedge the gemstone into. Cuchulainn leaned in and wondered, “So how exactly is this tiny bauble supposed to protect her?”</p>
<p>“Think of it as a cloaking mechanism,” Da Vinci said. “It can masquerade Connla’s Spirit Origin as someone else’s while she’s traveling. The easiest Servant to have her mimic is you since she technically possesses half of your Spirit Origin, so this little doodad covers the other 50% that I was able to extract from your DNA. Scathach could have been another option since Aife is her sister, but Ritsuka has not been able to summon her yet.”</p>
<p>“So she basically disguises herself as another Cuchulainn while Rayshifting?”</p>
<p>“That’s the long and short of it. I figured that since Aisling is scoping for Connla as raw ‘data’ during a Rayshift, then tampering with that ‘data’ to affect her destination, I would do the same thing by messing with her identity so that Aisling can’t find her in the first place. Hee hee, it almost feels like I’m dueling wits with a rival hacker or something.”</p>
<p>“I see…” Cuchulainn murmured in fascination, unsure if he really understood what she was saying.</p>
<p>“There we go,” Da Vinci announced as she finished inserting the tiny gem into Connla’s ring. “You two look like you’re ready to enjoy an afternoon out at the park or something. I suppose this is as good a time as any to give my latest invention a whirl.”</p>
<p>“Now I’m getting a little nervous,” the girl murmured anxiously.</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m about 99.9% sure it’ll go off without a hitch.”</p>
<p>“And the other 0.1%...?”</p>
<p>“I’m going to monitor your Rayshift just to be absolutely sure that 0.1% doesn’t happen. Not even your luck can be <em>that</em> bad, right?”</p>
<p>Neither Cuchulainn nor Connla appeared convinced, but nevertheless accepted what she was saying. The trio headed for the Spiritron Chamber, and he inputted a destination that he had already selected. Once they were ready, the two Lancers disappeared in a bright blue flash and traversed through time and space, while Da Vinci remained to monitor their trip.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Her True Thoughts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 6: Her True Thoughts</strong>
</p><p>Connla had her eyes squeezed shut during the Rayshift, fearing that she and Cuchulainn Lancer would wind up in a completely different era from what he intended. She knew her feet were planted on firm ground, and that the air was nice and mild, but that was it.</p><p>“Hey,” Cuchulainn urged. “What are you standing there for? Take a look around.”</p><p>She became perplexed when she heard his calm voice, then opened her eyes. She discovered that they were at the outskirts of a familiar city in rural Japan.</p><p>“This is… Fuyuki…?” she breathed in surprise.</p><p>“Yeah. My memories aren’t the greatest, but I seem to remember having a connection with this place. I also read that record of yours about Second Lancer being summoned here, so I thought this would be a good spot to hang out for today.”</p><p>Connla was still too bewildered to take in what he was saying. She wasn’t sure if this was <em>the</em> Fuyuki from her dream or a completely different one, but she couldn’t believe she was actually here to experience it for herself. Not only that, the fact that he wasn’t freaking out because they were in some unknown destination meant that Da Vinci’s little bauble actually worked. She feel entirely confident about the experiment being 100% successful, but she felt a lot better knowing that she could potentially Rayshift without any danger of Aisling interfering.</p><p>Cuchulainn patted her back and said, “Hey, don’t just stand there. Let’s get going already.”</p><p>“R-Right… So, where are we headed to?”</p><p>“Let’s just walk around for a while. If there’s a good fishing spot, we can buy some gear and bring some nice fish home. If not, we can just stop by a fishmonger’s shop or something.”</p><p>“You must be hunkering for fish, aren’t you? Should we try a sushi shop then?”</p><p>“Ooh, that’s a good idea! My belly’s kinda rumbling, so that’ll be a good start!”</p><p>With that, they walked into the city’s business district and searched around for a good place to eat. They then found the shopping center Verde and did some window shopping until they discovered a sports store where Cuchulainn bought some basic fishing equipment. Connla was so overwhelmed by the vast amount of items for sale that she really couldn’t decide what to buy for herself. She did wind up purchasing some advanced textbooks and novels at a bookstore, along with some candy as souvenirs for Jack and Nursery Rhyme.</p><p>At around one o’clock, the duo reached a quiet harbor and decided to set up their fishing stations here. Since Connla had never fished before, Cuchulainn eagerly instructed her on how to use her rod before they could settle in and enjoy the experience together. There wasn’t anyone around to disturb them for around two hours, so they could take in the ocean breeze, the rolling waves in the distance, and the screeching seagulls circling high above them.</p><p>Their peaceful afternoon would soon be rudely interrupted when a third person arrived to claim a fishing spot on the opposite side of the pier. Connla wasn’t bothered by it, but Cuchulainn’s mood immediately soured once he recognized who the competition was.</p><p>“Um…” the young girl mumbled as she glanced aside at the other man. “C-Can I ask what you’re doing here, Mr. Emiya?”</p><p>“Oh, don’t mind me. Just need to top up Chaldea’s fridge with some fresh catches,” Emiya Archer said. He was garbed in a traditional fisherman’s outfit, complete with a red vest and baseball cap that simply didn’t suit him whatsoever. His expression was smug as he dabbed his ultra-modern 99% carbon, 16-ball-bearing, no-vibration, electric-reeling fishing rod along the water with the inadequacy of a total novice, yet he kept bringing in catch after catch. Even though Emiya had not been there as long as the Celts were, the number of fish in his bucket already far surpassed their combined totals.</p><p>“I don’t think I’m the one you need to worry about,” Connla muttered worriedly while staring at her grumpy father. She had every right to be nervous; the incredible tension boiling between both men had practically turned this peaceful harbor into a war zone, and she felt like she was some innocent bystander caught in the middle of a massive gunfight.</p><p>“So it would seem. Ah ha, there’s my 16th amberjack today! I don’t mean to brag, but how much have you two brought in?”</p><p>“Well, uh-“</p><p>“Shut up and get lost already, asshole,” Cuchulainn snapped at Emiya.</p><p>The Archer laughed when he peered into their buckets, then exclaimed, “Ten mackerel and three amberjacks? I suppose that’s the best an antiquated Luddite and a complete novice using old-fashioned techniques can hope to achieve. As for me… Oops, here comes number 17!”</p><p>“How many times do I have to tell you to shut up, you goddamn hipster!? You’re scaring the fish away with your yodeling!”</p><p>“Feh. Isn’t blaming others for your lack of talent beneath you, Lancer? Say, Connla, why don’t you ditch that guy and learn what it means to be a real fisherman with me?”</p><p>“Uh, thanks but no thanks. I think I’ll stay firmly seated here,” she replied, fearful of how Cuchulainn would react if she accepted the offer. She then asked Emiya, “By the way, where did you get the money to buy something so expensive?”</p><p>“I didn’t. I merely used Projection on a rod I saw in the shop. Can’t go wasting Chaldea’s funds carelessly now, can we?”</p><p>“I figured…”</p><p>“Here comes #18! Yahoo!”</p><p>Cuchulainn shouted, “If you don’t shut that bloody trap of yours, I’ll be more than happy to snag that flapping tongue of yours with the sharpest hook I’ve got!”</p><p>“Sounds like a challenge!” Emiya barked. “Although to be honest, your teamwork will inevitably be no match for my state-of-the-art equipment. I’m not even sure if I’m here to fish, or to just watch my latest toy do the work for me!”</p><p>“Right, right, go ahead and try catching all the fish in the harbor. Just don’t blame me if I start calling you Angler instead of Archer.”</p><p>“Ho ho! Well said, Lancer! To think that this will be the battlefield where the king of the harbor will be decided!”</p><p>Connla seemed to shirk in some invisible corner as she watched these two adults bicker like children, looking as if she wanted to say, “Is this for real?” She had this incredible urge to sneak away as quietly as she could, but she was trapped between them and couldn’t escape without being seen. Mini-Cu, who was sitting on her shoulder the whole time, struggled to keep his chuckles to a bare minimum.</p><p>Cuchulainn snorted, clearly too irritated to continue arguing with the man in red. He then said to Connla, “Lesson Number One: don’t <em>ever</em> take any advice from that guy. I don’t want you growing up to become a weirdo like him, got it?”</p><p>“G-Got it…”</p>
<hr/><p>The two Servants decided at around six o’clock that they had enough fishing and departed the harbor, leaving Emiya to celebrate his obvious victory over Cuchulainn in this pointless competition. Connla didn’t really care what happened between them, but she didn’t want to say or do anything that would ignite their feud even further. Her patience was rewarded as her father finally gave up and took her away from the uncharacteristically giddy Archer.</p><p>“Ugh, damn bastard distracted me from showing you around town,” Cuchulainn grumbled.</p><p>“That’s okay,” Connla assured. “So long as you were enjoying yourself, then I don’t mind.”</p><p>“I would have if that counterfeiting clod hadn’t made the mistake of picking a fight with me.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. There will be plenty of more times for us to go out.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess so. Hm… Ah!?”</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“Now that I think about it, I needed to get a present for someone!”</p><p>“You mean the shopping mall didn’t have what you wanted?”</p><p>“Uh, I mean… The thought just came to me right now.”</p><p>“Then let’s hurry back and-“</p><p>“No, no, no! I need to keep this a total surprise, even from you!”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah. Sorry, but could you wait for me here? I promise I won’t be long!” Cuchulainn exclaimed as he dashed toward the mall, leaving Connla and Mini-Cu at a nearby bench. Along the way, he frantically thought, <em>Damn it, I can’t believe I forgot to get something nice for the kid! She was eyeing that really long novel series before but didn’t want to buy it because it was so expensive. I should get it ASAP before the store closes!</em></p><p>He bounded around a corner and came to a sudden stop so he could look for a clock somewhere. He couldn’t see one right away though, so he glanced at a nearby facility and muttered, “Maybe I’ll just go in and ask…”</p><p>Unbeknownst to him, he had walked straight into a cabaret club.</p>
<hr/><p>Connla finished eating a sandwich she got at a convenience store, then yawned out of sheer boredom. She glanced up at the clock so many times that she had lost count. It was fast approaching 11 pm, and there still wasn’t any sign of Cuchulainn coming back. She had spent the majority of the time reading through the math textbooks she bought earlier and solving difficult equations in some scrapbooks. It was a helpful diversion, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something bad had happened to him.</p><p>“Hey,” Mini-Cu implored while tugging her sleeve. “I really think we should be getting back now.”</p><p>“I promised Father that I’d wait for him here,” Connla replied, ever so stubborn about abiding to her vows.</p><p>“That bastard. Where the hell could he have run off too? He said he was going to get some kind of surprise gift, but it shouldn’t take him <em>this</em> long to find it!”</p><p>“I hope he hasn’t gotten himself into any kind of trouble. He really does have a penchant for getting involved in some outrageous situations, like what happened at the harbor.”</p><p>“Hah. If anything, he’s the one who causes the trouble in the first place. In my opinion, you’re wasting your energy worrying about that lummox. Anyway, we’ll wait here for one more hour, then we go back ourselves, got it? I’m not going to let you sit out here in the cold during the middle of the night.”</p><p>“Okay,” she said and remained seated on the bench.</p>
<hr/><p>“And then I said to him ‘Shut up or I’ll reel in that waggling tongue of yours’! Seriously, can you believe the nerve of that guy!? I was just trying to enjoy a relaxing afternoon, and that cocky bastard had to ruin it with his idiotic prancing!”</p><p>Cuchulainn, drunk on several bottles of expensive alcohol, was unloading all of his troubles upon the three hostesses that sat around him on the sofa. He originally wanted to know what the time was, but once the female manager asked if he wanted to spend some time there, he found it difficult to refuse the offer. If there was one thing he always enjoyed, it was being in the company of attractive ladies who would listen to what he had to say.</p><p>“Sounds like you’ve had it difficult. Let me make it up to you,” one of the ladies remarked as she gently pressed her lips against his cheek. Normal hostess establishments didn’t allow for physical contact between patrons and employees, but this was one of the few exceptions to that rule.</p><p>“Aww, thanks!” he smiled. “Competition can be fun, so long as the opposition doesn’t purposely try to get on your nerves. Not only that, but that idiot had the gall to use a stolen rod! Can you believe it!?”</p><p>“Wow! How could he steal such a high-tech rod without anyone noticing?”</p><p>“Well, it’s kind of complicated… Let’s just say he’s a habitual thief and leave it at that.”</p><p>Another woman wondered, “If you knew that, why didn’t you have him arrested?”</p><p>“Well,” Cuchulainn scratched his head sheepishly. “I guess I could have. It’s just that he’s far too slippery for the authorities to catch, so I figured it was a waste of time. Trust me though; when the kid and I get back, I’ll make sure he fesses up for his crime, even if I have to use violence.”</p><p>“The kid? Did you mention that you had a kid with you?”</p><p>“Didn’t I? I was showing my daughter the ropes, and-“</p><p>Suddenly, he stopped in mid-sentence, and his eyes shrunk into tiny dots. Intense panic seized his entire being as he remembered Connla, and he shot to his feet while screaming, <strong><em>“WAAA~AAAGGGH!?”</em></strong></p><p>“W-What’s the matter!?” the first lady yelped.</p><p>“M-M-My kid…! That’s right, I was supposed to-! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Sorry girls, but I need to cut this chat short! I need the bill right away please!”</p><p>“Sure…” the bewildered hostess murmured and went to get the receipt.</p><p>He looked over at the clock and discovered that it was approaching 10:45 pm. He grabbed his head with both hands and yelped, “Holy fucking shit! I can’t believe I stayed this late! Oh god, what am I going to do now!? I left her waiting there this whole time!”</p><p>“You mean your daughter is waiting for you?” the third woman asked. “How old is she?”</p><p>“She’s seven!”</p><p>“A seven-year old out this late!? She must be freezing by now! Or even worse, kidna-!”</p><p>“Don’t say it! <em>Just don’t say it!</em>”</p><p>The first lady heard the commotion and hurried back with the bill while uttering, “Here you go, sir. Your total is 40,000 yen.”</p><p>“Forty thousand…! Shit!” he cursed as he peered into his wallet and found the stub that converted Chaldea’s QP into real-world currency. He had his own card, but it wasn’t enough to cover the tab. He had no choice but to use the second one that Connla entrusted to him earlier. At this moment, he felt like a lobster being submerged in boiling hot water as he reluctantly swiped both cards, then hurried out of the club to go look for her.</p>
<hr/><p>“Hmmn… Ah.”</p><p>Connla realized that she had dozed off for the third time that evening. She yawned and rubbed her eyes before returning her attention to the math problem she was dealing with. The puzzles were so convoluted that she needed to spend time thinking about how to arrive at each solution, which wound up making her sleepy each time she was absorbed in her thoughts.</p><p><em>Where was I again? Right… “Let </em>Z <em>be the set of integers. Determine all functions, </em>f: Z -&gt; Z<em> such that, for all integers </em>a<em> and </em>b<em>,</em> f(2a) + 2f(b) = f(f(a+b))<em>." So the first thing I should do is to figure out a route that will take me from </em>a<em> to </em>b<em>. Then…</em></p><p>As she pondered on this equation, Mini-Cu kept his weary eyes trained on the clock, eagerly awaiting for midnight to come so he could get Connla out of there. Deep in the back of her mind though, she couldn’t shake the small pang of anxiety she felt over worrying about where Cuchulainn was. She was sure he could take care of himself, but him being missing for so long was extremely unusual for him as well. She didn’t want to leave him behind if she could avoid it, yet she promised Mini-Cu that they would head back should the clock hit midnight.</p><p>Luckily, she didn’t need to worry for much longer. They heard a pair of footsteps running toward them frantically. Connla’s heart soared when she saw Cuchulainn rushing to reunite with her, and she cried out, “Father!”</p><p>“Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, I’m <em>so</em> sorry, kiddo!” he gasped. “I, uh… I kind of lost track of time, and…”</p><p>Suddenly, Connla and Mini-Cu’s expressions both soured the moment they made eye contact with him. Then the child Lancer frowned despondently and glanced away, while the living plushie became increasingly agitated. Cuchulainn didn’t seem to notice as he blurted, “It took me a while to look around for any stores that had the item I was looking for, but-!”</p><p>“Shut up, you shithead,” Mini-Cu snapped. “We already know you’re lying.”</p><p>“Wha-!? I’m telling you, that’s exactly what happened!”</p><p>“Oh <em>really</em>?”</p><p>“Yes, really! What the hell would make you think otherwise!?”</p><p>Connla interrupted the squabble by sadly staring into Cuchulainn’s eyes, then quietly pointed to the side where there was a reflective surface nearby. He was perplexed by her strange motions, but once he got a good look at his face, he instantly realized why they were so upset with him. His cheeks and chin were marked up with visible lip imprints of various lipstick colors, which he had completely failed to notice and wipe off before rejoining the others.</p><p>“Ooohhh…” he moaned in dismay.</p><p>Connla got up from the bench and murmured, “We should go back.”</p><p>“Y-Yeah.”</p><p>“You were holding on to my QP for me, right? Could I have it back now?”</p><p>“Uh… Well, the thing is…”</p><p>Mini-Cu bared his teeth and furiously scowled, <em>“Don’t tell me!”</em></p><p>“Well… yeah. I don’t have it anymore.”</p><p>“Huh?” Connla blinked. “What do you mean? Did it get stolen?”</p><p>“No. I, uh… had to use it… to pay off my tab…”</p><p>“Tab?”</p><p>“At the… cabaret club…”</p><p>She became even more forlorn than before, and she hung her head low while turning away from Cuchulainn before muttering, “I see.”</p><p>“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to-!”</p><p>She ignored him and headed for the summoning circle to Rayshift back to Chaldea. He smacked his forehead and yelped in agitation, knowing fully well he had royally screwed up. He couldn’t blame her for refusing to listen to his excuses and half-baked apologies. He knew how hard she had worked to save up 50 million QP, and he carelessly wasted it on his night-life hobby while leaving her to sit there alone for far too long. He couldn’t imagine how abandoned she must have felt in that moment. How was he supposed to make up for this tremendous blunder? That was all Cuchulainn could think about as he followed after Connla.</p>
<hr/><p>The two Servants re-emerged from the Spiritron Chamber and greeted Da Vinci with morose expressions plastered all over their faces. The inventor tried to liven the mood by chirping, “Hi there! You two were out pretty late. Did everything work out all right?”</p><p>Neither of them responded. Even someone as bubbly as her could read the atmosphere between the two Lancers, so she opted to quit faking a peppy attitude as she explained, “I have some good news. The anti-Aisling charm seems to have worked like, well… a charm. There was absolutely no outside interference that I detected, so I think my experiment is a resounding success.”</p><p>“Mm,” Connla murmured. “Thank you for going through the trouble.”</p><p>“Oh, it was no trouble at all. Anything that challenges my intellect is most welcome. Oh, I should call him over before I forget.”</p><p>“Him?”</p><p>“Fergus. He found out you two had gone out and was growing worried about how late it was for you, missy.”</p><p>Cuchulainn anxiously squeaked under his breath as Da Vinci spoke on the intercom. Two minutes later, the purple-haired, bare-chested Saber came running into the chamber, kneeled in front of Connla and snatched her shoulders while exclaiming, “You’re finally back! Do you have any idea what time it is right now!?”</p><p>“Yes, I know.”</p><p>“Honestly! Servant or not, good little girls like you should be asleep by now! What in the world were you doing gallivanting about in the city at almost midnight!?”</p><p>“Well, it’s kind of complicated…” she twiddled her fingers.</p><p>Mini-Cu folded his arms and grumbled, “Why not ask the dumbass who’s trying to make his escape?”</p><p>“Huh?” Fergus glanced over at Cuchulainn as he was attempting to sneak out of the room. His voice grew increasingly bitter as he glowered, “Hey, Setanta. You’ve got that guilty look in your eye. Did something happen?”</p><p>“Ah… Well, I, uh…”</p><p>“What’s wrong? Not man enough to admit you fucked up?” Mini-Cu gloated and flashed a most devious grin at his counterpart. “Or are you too much of a urine-stained little boy to demonstrate even a modicum of maturity?”</p><p>“Shut your trap, you smarmy little piece of shit!”</p><p>“So you’re saying you’ll explain for me? If you try to run away, then I’ll gladly tell Fergus everything.”</p><p>“Ghhh! Fine!” Cuchulainn snapped, then got down on his knees in a proper <em>seiza</em> style in front of Fergus and confessed about what he did. As Fergus heard more and more of the story, his usually friendly demeanor was replaced with a look of unabated exasperation. His skin became so hot with fury that Connla and Da Vinci thought they could bring a kettle of water to a simmer if left on him for too long.</p><p>Cuchulainn soon ended his explanation, then exclaimed, “And that leads us to right now!”</p><p>Fergus’ eyebrow twitched, and the corner of his lip creased in displeasure. Connla hugged Mini-Cu tightly and stepped away from him, then whimpered, “Uncle Fergus…”</p><p>“Setanta.”</p><p>Suddenly, with the rage of a major-scale earthquake, Fergus balled his hand into a taut fist and shrieked, <strong><em>“YOU IDIII~IIIOOOOT!”</em></strong></p><p>Cuchulainn suddenly slammed his back against the wall after taking a full-on punch to the face! Da Vinci and Connla were astonished by how devastating the blow was – it was enough to slightly crater the wall around his entire body, and the normally unstoppable Lancer crumpled into a pathetic mess on the floor.</p><p><em>“Where the hell is your pride as a man!? Do you have any concept of shame whatsoever!? I thought I taught you better than that! I swear, I have half a mind to shove Caladbolg through your heart and be done with it, you worthless scamp!”</em> Fergus ranted.</p><p>“C-Calm down,” Da Vinci implored. “I understand how you feel, but we can’t afford to have too much property damage like this. If you really want to take it out on him, do it in the simulator, okay?”</p><p>“Ugh. Sorry about that, madam. I’ll come back and clean up this mess later. Setanta, you get your ass in the simulator and wait for me! We’re going to be farming Doors until you can no longer move, got it!?”</p><p>“Y-Yeah…” Cuchulainn uttered, rubbing his swollen cheek. “I hope there’s a Mona Lisa Craft Essence I can borrow from someone…”</p><p>Fergus took a deep breath to calm his nerves, then picked up Connla and said, “C’mon, missy. Let’s get you tucked into bed.”</p><p>She was too distressed to reply, and she allowed him to carry her to her room. She looked to be on the verge of crying, and he asked, “You okay? If you want to use my shoulder, go ahead.”</p><p>“No, I’m just tired,” she whimpered and hiccupped as he set her down.</p><p>“All right. Don’t worry about that idiot father of yours. I’ll make sure to discipline him real good and have him pay back that 50 million to you.”</p><p>She sat on the bed and stared at Mini-Cu while moaning, “What a fool I am.”</p><p>“Hm? What makes you say that?”</p><p>“Mother always told me that Father had actually trained in the Land of Shadows solely because he wanted to impress a certain woman back in Ireland. Despite that, he took Mother’s body and left me behind as a bastard child. Not only that, but if Teacher wasn’t so powerful, he probably would have done the same to her. Say, Uncle Fergus, is it true that Father sought to be strong just because of a woman?”</p><p>“Well… Setanta really was emphatic about making Emer his wife, but she was quite picky about the type of man she wanted. More than that though, I think he wanted to be known as a hero because old man Cathbad prophesized his life to be short but fulfilling.”</p><p>“So Father really is motivated only by women. That must be why he hangs around with the more attractive Servants all the time. He told me that it helped him concentrate more, but now I’m starting to think that’s not the case.”</p><p>“He’s been lying to you through the skin of his teeth, huh? Even when grown up, that boy refuses to stop being a piece of work. Guess that’s another bad habit I’ll have to wring out of him.”</p><p>Connla laid on her side and faced away from Fergus, then muttered, “Mother hated me, and Father always abandons me… I really must be a burden to everyone around me…”</p><p>He sighed despondently, then rubbed her head and implored, “That’s enough. Just get some rest for now.”</p><p>“Mm.”</p>
<hr/><p>Connla was so exhausted that she accidentally slept until the middle of the afternoon. Of course, that wasn’t really a problem since she didn’t have to adhere to any strict curfews like living children her age would. Even so, she was surprised to see how late it was. More than that though, some kind of bizarre stench kept bothering her nostrils so much that she was essentially forced to wake up. She thought she heard some kind of swallowing sound nearby, plus there seemed to be someone sitting on the opposite side of her bed. She opened her eyes and, tucking Mini-Cu under her arm, looked up to see who it was.</p><p>“Good morning, sweetie. Or should I say good afternoon?” a familiar purple-haired oni wearing a skimpy leotard crooned after guzzling some alcohol.</p><p>“Lady Shuten?” Connla murmured in surprise. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>Shuten-Douji chuckled, “Hee hee. I don’t know which is cuter; when you’re sleeping, or when you’re flustered.”</p><p>“Um… Do you need something from me?”</p><p>“Well now. Since you’re offering, why don’t you keep me company again today?”</p><p>“Company?”</p><p>“C’mere,” the oni implored and took Connla’s hand before guiding her out of her room and into the space where Shuten and Ibaraki always hung out together. The drunk demon sat the child Lancer down at the new <em>chabudai</em> and stroked her hair while murmuring, “I heard what happened yesterday.”</p><p>“You did?”</p><p>“Poor thing, being left behind like that. You must be at your wit’s end, trying so hard to please everyone only to be treated like dirt as your reward. But don’t you worry, for today is a special day. Ibaraki and I have decided to give you the space you need to let yourself be free.”</p><p>“To be ‘free’? I don’t understand what you mean.”</p><p>Ibaraki leaned over them and set a cup of black coffee on the table before saying, “Here you go. This one’s on us. You should wake up a bit first before letting it all out.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Connla mumbled and gulped some piping hot fluid down her throat. She felt the usual buzz of caffeine stimulating her nerves and waking her up. However, there seemed to be a different kind of sensation overtaking her senses that she had never experienced before. She felt so tipsy that she needed to grab the table for support before moaning, “I feel kind of funny…”</p><p>“How is it?” Shuten asked coyly.</p><p>“Well, um… It’s kind of… hard to explain…”</p><p>“Do you feel like your stress is just melting away?”</p><p>“Mm… Sort of. My head feels heavy, but my chest doesn’t hurt anymore. Is this some kind of special brew that oni like?”</p><p>“He he he. Sure, let’s just leave it at that.”</p><p>“Oh well. Whatever,” Connla grunted and took another sip. Her cheeks were already flushed red, and her attitude radically changed as she muttered, “Stupid Father… He said he was going to go get a gift for someone. Was he just lying to me again, like how Mother lied to me for my whole life? Am I really that much of an encumbrance to them?”</p><p>“Cuchulainn left your mother pregnant with you while he returned to Ireland to fight in that war, didn’t he?” Ibaraki asked.</p><p>“Yeah. I should have guessed that this would happen. Father always wanted to be a hero, and real heroes don’t get bogged down with mundane things like raising children. Even so, I keep stupidly believing in my own family members. I always keep thinking they have my best interests in mind, but they keep disappointing me over and over again. I swear, why do I bother anymore?”</p><p>“What about your mother?”</p><p>“Hah! Screw her! She flat out told me that she despised my very existence!”</p><p>“She did!?”</p><p>Connla angrily slammed the mug on the table and exclaimed, “Everything is Mother and Father’s fault! If he hadn’t sullied her honor like that… If I hadn’t been born as Cuchulainn’s bastard child, then Mother wouldn’t have had to deal with the stress of bearing a child she didn’t want! I wouldn’t have been raised to merely be the tool that would enact Mother’s revenge on her behalf! If I didn’t exist, I bet everyone would be much happier for it!”</p><p>“Come now, darling, you shouldn’t say that,” Shuten murmured.</p><p>“And what about Teacher!? She’s supposed to be my aunt, but she did absolutely nothing to stop any of this! I know she has the power of precognition! She should have been able to foresee my death at Father’s hand! She could have kept me in the Land of Shadows! Yet she just stood back without a care in the world and watched as my own father murdered me! That must have been a nice distraction from her crappy duty as the Land of Shadows’ guardian! Talk about being born into the most useless family ever! No wonder I was forced to grow up so quickly! All of the people around me are so stupid that I had no choice but to fend for myself!”</p><p>“Well, I can see your point there. If people have had hard lives as children, then they tend to waste their adult lives acting like spoiled brats to compensate.”</p><p>“Hmph! Why should I have expected anything different from Father even now!? He doesn’t give a shit about me! He just wants to be smothered in female flesh until he dies of happiness! What a goddamn man-whore!”</p><p>“Whoa, there,” Ibaraki yelped. “Y-You really should settle down now…”</p><p>“If my family is useless, then who the hell can I rely on anymore!? I try and try and try and try to make everyone around me happy, but no one wants to acknowledge my hard work! I just keep getting taken advantage of wherever I go! I’m getting fed up with my whole ‘nice and sweet’ routine! I should just cut loose and tell everyone to go to hell!”</p><p>“I really don’t think you should. A lot of the other Servants find your kind attitude rather charming.”</p><p>“Well I’m sick of it! I want to go back to the Throne and sleep forever and ever, but stupid Master won’t let me go! She said that everyone has an important role in Chaldea, so she must love watching me suffer like a typical Mage would! I swear, the only people who want anything to do with me are a bunch of godforsaken sadists! It’s obvious that I’m here only for everyone else’s entertainment! Don’t you think so!?”</p><p>“Uh, well…” Ibaraki had a hard time replying since she had wanted to get the girl drunk for a few laughs herself. Now the oni was starting to feel guilty about it, but she didn’t know how to calm the irate child down.</p><p>Connla gulped down the remainder of her coffee in one go, then tossed it aside and caused it to shatter into fragments as she shrieked, <strong><em>“I HATE MY LIFE! I JUST WANT TO DIE!”</em></strong></p><p>With that surprising outburst, she slumped over the table and passed out. Shuten and Ibaraki just sat there in dumbfounded silence, having totally not expected the girl to rage so badly after taking just a small sip of tainted coffee.</p><p>“Goodness gracious,” Shuten mumbled. “Regardless if she’s a child, I didn’t think she would be such a hopeless lightweight.”</p><p>“Me too,” Ibaraki agreed, then smirked. “Glad to see there’s someone who’s even worse than me.”</p><p>“Oh, but what to do now? If Raikou or Kintoki discover that we have caused such a precious little thing to get drunk, who knows what kind of chaos will follow? Eh he he… Not that I would mind a hearty scrap with the boy, mind you.”</p><p>The blonde oni’s mirth changed to shock as she yelped, “No shit! We gotta hide the pipsqueak somewhere until she wakes up!”</p><p>Just then, Mini-Cu flashed bright red. A moment later, Cuchulainn Alter’s Spirit Origin emerged from inside the doll and materialized into Servant form. He kneeled over the unconscious Connla and picked her up as he glowered, “Son of a bitch. If I had realized that coffee was spiked, that so-called ‘chaos’ would have come a <em>lot</em> sooner than you think.”</p><p>“W-What the <em>fuck</em>!?” Ibaraki squealed. “You were inside that thing, Alter!?”</p><p>“Yep. Saw every last moment too. If you value your hides that much, then you both owe the kid a favor for entertaining you with that ridiculous spiel.”</p><p>Shuten wasn’t perturbed by the Berserker’s sudden appearance as she murmured, “In exchange for your silence?”</p><p>“Now you’re speaking my language,” Cuchulainn smirked darkly. “Normally I’d slaughter you myself, but I’m actually a little grateful.”</p><p>“Grateful?”</p><p>“Thanks to your stupid stunt, I have a better idea of how to deal with Connla’s troubles. She’d never tell me what’s on her mind otherwise.”</p><p>“I see. So we helped loosen her up a bit. Just as expected.”</p><p>“Don’t go thinking you can do that again though. The moment you do, I’ll be offering your heads to Raikou as a gift.”</p><p>Shuten grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind.”</p><p>“Me too…” Ibaraki agreed in a tiny voice.</p><p>Cuchulainn slumped Connla’s arms over his shoulders and exited the onis’ room to bring her back to her own bed. Along the way, he gently patted her back and murmured, “Geez. Why’d you have to go and confess everything to <em>those</em> two? If you really were that desperate, you should have come to me instead. You know better than that.”</p><p>“Hmmn… Stupid… Father…” she moaned sadly, then hiccupped in her sleep.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>While he rounded the corner, he failed to notice that someone else had been listening to the entire exchange between Connla, Shuten and Ibaraki from a different section of the hallway. Once everything returned to silence, he emerged from his hiding spot and stared at where Cuchulainn previously had been. He crossed his arms and exhaled a deep <em>humph</em> of irritation.</p><p>
  <em>It seems the time for silently observing the runt has come to an abrupt conclusion. If I am to fulfill my end of the bargain with that woman, then I must swiftly take action.</em>
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<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE: For those who may be interested in the math problem she’s doing, it’s from the YouTube video “Solving An Insanely Hard Problem For High School Students” by Presh Talwalkar, AKA MindYourDecisions. If you want to know the solution, I recommend watching it.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Cu and Wu</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 7: Cu and Wu</strong>
</p><p>Cuchulainn tucked the drunken Connla beneath the blankets of her bed, then checked her temperature before feeling confident enough to leave her be. Even though she only had small sips, the miniscule amount of alcohol mixed in with the coffee was so high-proof that it literally knocked her out. Coupled with the stress she unloaded during her stupor, it was enough to trigger another one of her Imbas Forosnai dreams.</p><p>This time, Connla was in the perspective of another one of her selves who was already traveling along with a crowd of other Servants in some endlessly winding hallways. The group was comprised primarily of child Servants who were, at least in physical appearance, no older than 12 years old. There were the obvious candidates such as Jack the Ripper, Nursery Rhyme and Gilgamesh (who preferred to go by the nickname Gil). Included in the team was a purple-haired girl who wore Chinese-themed clothes mainly consisting of a purple dress held up by a blue bow tied around her chest, accompanied with long blue sleeves and various yellow ribbons. From her countenance though, she wasn’t particularly inclined to try and fit in with the rest of them, opting to maintain a healthy distance while exercising her penchant for endless pontification.</p><p>There was also another version of Artoria who appeared significantly younger than her usual self, who wore silver armor atop a cute ensemble of white clothes and a skirt, and bore the Sword of Selection Caliburn rather than Excalibur. There was also Alexander, the childhood version of Iskandar, dressed in a regal-looking tunic. He kept his long red hair tied in a messy braid, which made him appear all the more charming to those who would be enamored by strong-willed lads like him. Last but not least, there was Connla, although the others were not able to learn her True Name due to her geas. Thus she willingly went by the moniker of Cuchulainn Lily until they could figure out her real identity for themselves.</p><p>Leading this hodge-podge team of child Servants was a white-haired woman who sported feline ears and two tails like a <em>nekomata</em>. Her clothing consisted of little else than a white bra, black knee boots, and some dark fur located on convenient places of her slender body. The most grotesque aspect about her was that a massive decapitated boar head was affixed to her right shoulder. Maybe it was for this reason that the Chinese girl maintained a healthy distance from the cat-woman, remaining as far back in the crowd as possible while tightly gripping the bewildered Connla’s shoulders.</p><p>“Are you okay? You look like you’re about to faint,” the Lancer wondered.</p><p>“Do we look like we’re okay!?” the Chinese girl quietly hissed in her guardian’s ear. Since she was of royal heritage, she had a habit of addressing herself in the plural sense. She pointed at the woman leading the pack and snarled, “Can’t someone remove that hideous feline woman from our sight!? If there are two things we hate, they are ghosts and cats!”</p><p>“But Lady Atalante was instrumental in bringing us together and fighting the Minotaur. We already decided by vote that she would be the leader, so you’ll just have to put up with it.”</p><p>“Pah! Democracy, nothing! Such an idealistic form of government should be abolished immediately! Any and all decisions should be made by those at the top, and we are of the highest seniority even among the other royal Servants here! The only reason we have been magnanimous enough to abide by such a foolish system is because of that abominable curse that Consort Xiao cast upon us before her death!”</p><p>“The one where you would turn into a mouse, and she’d become a cat and eat you?”</p><p>“Indeed! Oooh, of all the ill-fortune to strike us! Why must we cooperate with the Greek huntress who was turned into a lioness!? And to think there are at least three other kings vying for the top position as well! How intolerable! If you were not around to exorcise the ghosts when they attacked us, we would have been finished!”</p><p>“You still seem rather shaken from that event,” Connla murmured.</p><p>“Ah… A-Ahem! Such concern is unnecessary! Compared to that brute of a man-child, dealing with a ghost here or there is of no consequence to us! So long as you are around to do the dirty work, mind.”</p><p>“I really think you should take some deep breaths and calm yourself, Lady Wu. Getting all worked up like this is a waste of energy that you could better devote to walking.”</p><p>The royal girl exhaled an annoyed huff. Just as Connla said, she was definitely Wu Zetian, the sole female emperor of Chinese history who climbed her way up the ranks by being the consort for Emperor Taizong, and then later his son Gaozong. An incident occurred where Gaozong and Wu’s infant child was murdered, and Wu accused both Gaozong’s wife Empress Wang and the Emperor’s favorite mistress Consort Xiao of the crime. With the seat of power empty, Wu was able to seize it for herself and enacted a most dictatorial rule over the nobles and citizens alike, encouraging a policy of snitching and betrayal among the populace. Wu also wrote instructions for her elite Kuli (“torture officials”) called the <em>Gaomi Luozhi Jing</em>, or “Manual of Accusation”, which told them everything they needed to know about torturing and interrogating people, even so much as fabricating criminals if Wu ever wanted a convenient scapegoat.</p><p>It was for this reason that none of the other Servants really wanted to have anything to do with Wu, even though they were supposed to work as a team to survive the infamous Minotaur’s Labyrinth. Oddly enough, while Artoria, Alexander and Gil were all kings summoned in their youthful years, Wu appeared as a small child yet still possessed her adult personality, similar to Hans Christian Anderson’s case. Such a mismatch caused tension between the four royals, so Wu opted not to intermingle with them much either.</p><p>Even though it wasn’t verbally agreed upon, Connla was relegated to holding the rear while babysitting the cranky empress so that the others could focus on their objective. The child Lancer was already quite exhausted from the job, but she remained vigilant in her awkward contribution to the group and kept the Assassin preoccupied with idle chatter. She let out a large yawn, then rubbed her eyes and moaned, “Oh, my apologies, Lady Wu.”</p><p>“Good gracious,” Wu muttered, then grinned smugly. “At least you had the decency to cover your mouth before our presence, Cuchulainn. That’s more than what we can say about you chasing after women all the time while hurling around that killer stick of yours. Honestly, how in the world were you a woman when you had such a powerful libido? Does this mean that you were actually a lesbian of some kind?”</p><p>Connla shuddered, then sighed in exasperation, “How many times do I have to say this, Lady Wu? I am <em>not</em> Cuchulainn, nor am I any sort of alternate interpretation of him. Believe me when I say this, but I am a Heroic Spirit with a history that is wholly separate from his. I’m just going by the name Cuchulainn out of convenience for you guys.”</p><p>“Then you will tell us your real name this instant! We cannot stand secrets of any kind!”</p><p>“I can’t do that. I already explained that I have a curse that prevents me from-“</p><p>“Like we care about any of that! If you fight like him, then you <em>must</em> be him! We are the type of woman to do our own thing, and we are going to call you Cu! It’s easier for us to order you around with a one-syllable name than barking something as cumbersome as ‘Cuchulainn Lily’ all the time! Any objection will be met with swift and arduous punishment! Got it!? Good!”</p><p>The young Lancer shrugged, opting not to waste her energy arguing with the empress. Artoria implored, “Please calm down, Miss Wu. We mustn’t fight with each other. I know it is difficult for you, but please try to at least cooperate with us. Regardless of our differences, we need to work together to escape this labyrinth.”</p><p>“You think we don’t know that!?” Wu squealed. “Ugh, this is why we can’t stand goody two-shoes types! They spout such cliché nonsense about getting along and being friends with everyone! Don’t you know that that’s not how the real world works!?”</p><p>“I-It’s not cliché…”</p><p>“Hmmmngh! Geez, be quiet already!” Jack shouted at Wu. “Are you <em>trying</em> to tell the big guy where we are!?”</p><p>“Of course not! That disgusting excuse for a Greek myth is the last thing someone of our stature should ever have to encounter again!” the empress stomped her foot in irritation.</p><p>“Your yelling and screaming is going to attract him though! If that’s the case, it’ll be faster to dismember you so that you won’t make any more noise!”</p><p>Nursery cringed and whispered, “Uh oh…”</p><p><em>“What was THAT!?”</em> Wu howled and stormed toward the equally agitated Jack. Their faces were practically inches from each other’s.</p><p>“I’m serious! You’re just slowing us down!” the white-haired Assassin retorted. “All you’ve been doing this whole time is whining and screaming like a spoiled baby! You act all big and mighty, but you didn’t do a thing while the rest of us did what we could to fend the big guy off before running away!”</p><p>“We’ll have you know that we weren’t being a coward! Someone had to stand back and issue orders to you all! We just figured that we were the most suitable for such a taxing task!”</p><p>“Hmmm,” Alexander murmured to himself. “I happened to peek a glance at you during that fight, and it certainly looked like you were observing us as though we were in some kind of coliseum. Not that I don’t appreciate a good showing of strength here and there, but at least I know there’s a time and place for everything.”</p><p>Gil nodded and said, “He’s right. You really need to contribute to the group, or you’re just going to slow us down.”</p><p>Jack suddenly blurted, “That’s why it’s best to chop her up as soon as possible! I think she’ll be most useful if she’s given to the big guy as fresh meat for him to devour! Then we can strike while he’s occupied with eating her!”</p><p>“We-! … We don’t…!” Wu stepped back in abject astonishment. “How <em>could</em> you-!?”</p><p>“That’s just mean, Jack!” Nursery shouted. “She might be loud, annoying and self-centered, but she’s trying to survive this labyrinth just as much as any of us are!”</p><p>The empress suddenly grabbed Nursery’s collar and exclaimed in desperation, <em>“You’re not helping matters much, you obnoxious hussy!”</em></p><p>“What’s wrong with you!? I’m trying to defend you!”</p><p>“Not when you have the gall to address us by such filthy insults!”</p><p>“Uh… Um… Y-You guys…” Connla whimpered pathetically.</p><p>“Dismember her! Dismember her!” Jack shouted, immediately drawing out her twin blades and glaring fiercely at Wu.</p><p>“Hmph! We don’t care anymore! If that’s what you want, then let’s settle this right now! There’s only enough room for one Assassin in this group, and that is most definitely us!” the empress retorted, taking out her wand while bearing the same murderous intent toward Jack. Artoria and Nursery had to do everything they could to hold the serial killer back, while Gil and Alexander did the same with Wu once they saw she was serious about fighting Jack. Connla could only stand there and watch anxiously, unsure if she could do anything to help dispel this argument that had clearly spiraled out of control.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“THAT’S ENOUGH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>The child Servants cringed in unison after hearing the cat-eared woman’s beastly shriek. The Berserker version of Atalante, the famed huntress who landed the first strike during the Calidonian Boar Hunt, turned on her heel and shouted at the children, “All of you will cease this pointless bickering at once!”</p><p>“Who are you to order us around, you godforsaken-!?” Wu was about to object.</p><p><strong><em>“SHUT UP!”</em></strong> Atalante’s face twisted into a brutal snarl that resembled a livid cat lashing out at someone, which freaked the empress into silence. “You’re not the only one who is finding this journey difficult! If you really are a royal Servant, then you should understand even a little bit of how the rest of us are feeling! Isn’t it your duty as a statesman to look after your own people!?”</p><p>“Well… we suppose so…”</p><p>“Then you need to relate to them as well! Otherwise, you’re just a commonplace tyrant who discards even their own children, never mind their citizens!”</p><p>“A-Are you accusing us of killing our own child!? That’s insane! Everyone knows it was Wang and Consort Xiao who plotted to-!”</p><p>“You’re missing the point! Instead of obsessing about how unfortunate you are, you should look at all of us and figure out if there’s anything you can do to contribute so that <em>all</em> of our lives are easier, not just yours! Believe me, we’re all doing our best to help you as well, but we are growing weary of your constant complaining!”</p><p>“Uhhh… E-Everyone’s treating us like a criminal… Is this what it’s like to have the <em>Gaomi Luozhi Jing </em>turned against us?”</p><p>Connla gingerly placed her hands on Wu’s trembling shoulders and murmured, “That’s not true. None of us want to lecture you like this. Even I can tell that Lady Atalante is trying to keep herself together while scolding a child that she is absolutely determined to protect, regardless of their personality and beliefs.”</p><p>“You think so? Even a ghastly feline like her would keep us safe? S-She’s not going to eat us like we’re a mouse?”</p><p>“Of course not. The way she curries favor to children is legendary. In fact, she’d gladly die if that’s what it meant to keep you safe. It’s just really difficult for her, and for all of us, if you don’t understand that.”</p><p>“Cu…”</p><p>“Come on, let’s dust ourselves off and try again.”</p><p>“Hm… Very well,” Wu smiled, feeling better from listening to the Lancer’s advice. She faced Atalante and the others, then said, “Though we offer no apology for our earlier behavior, we shall accept your joint invitations to keep us safe. We cannot promise much in the way of combat in recompense, but we guarantee that we can at least deliver the most excruciating sentence to our enemies, even if it is only to buy you all some time.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Alexander agreed. “Even just weakening the monsters will be enough support for us front-line warriors.”</p><p>“But we must make it known, loathe as we are to admit it, that we still possess a strong aversion towards cats and ghosts. We would ask that Atalante maintain her distance, while Cu remains by our side and disposes of the wraiths that attempt to accost us. The rest of you are free to do as you please.”</p><p>Atalante nodded and said, “All right. My job is to be the vanguard along with Artoria, Jack and Alex. You, Gil, Nursery and Cu Lily will handle the rear.”</p><p>“Splendid. Then let us continue with renewed fervor.”</p>
<hr/><p>Several hours passed as the group continued scouring the labyrinth for an exit. However, they would soon be confronted by the infamous keeper of this dungeon; the Minotaur, a hulking white-skinned brute with two massive horns protruding through his incredibly long, messy hair. He wielded an axe in either hand, each about as tall as most of the child Servants’ combined heights. His crimson eyes shone with glee as he grinned and stared at the three latest victims of his rampage.</p><p>“How did he…? I couldn’t… see him coming…” Artoria gasped as she lay bleeding on the floor. The vertical gash he cut clean along one whole side of her body was deep enough to wound her vitals, and she disappeared in a flurry of particles. Nursery Rhyme had already been crushed beneath Minotaur’s gigantic foot, and all of her doll joints were scattered across the room. Likewise, Alexander was already dead after attempting to confront the beast on his Bucephalus, and was met with a head-on punch that pulverized both rider and mount in one blow. Not only was that horrifying enough, Minotaur actually licked off the blood and remains like a cat would with its paw.</p><p>“MMM… TASTY,” he murmured.</p><p>Atalante <em>lost</em> it. Any composure she had left was instantly gone after seeing the three Servants die so quickly. Since she was summoned as a Berserker, her strength and agility provided enough of a challenge for Minotaur so that she could keep the four survivors safe. Wu was rooted to the spot and trembling in panic, unable to comprehend how the monster could defeat them so easily when he wasn’t this powerful last time. Connla remained in front of her as a guard, while Jack obscured herself within thick mists and leapt around to attack Minotaur whenever Atalante provided an opportunity. Gil wisely maintained his distance and flung weapons out of Gate of Babylon, causing Minotaur’s body to be skewered with dozens of blades. None of them seemed to faze him as he struggled against Atalante.</p><p><em>“AAAARGH!”</em> she shrieked in fury, digging her claws into Minotaur’s skin and literally yanking out pounds of sinewy muscle. <em>“HOW DARE YOU KILL THOSE CHILDREN! I’LL MAKE YOU SUFFER!”</em></p><p>“KEE HE HE HE HE! HUNDREDS! THOUSANDS! CAN WEAK BOAR-WOMAN… AVENGE <em>ALL</em> OF THEM!?”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Why you-!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“NOT MY FAULT. ALL SACRIFICES. APPEASE MY APPETITE. APPEASE KING MINOS. HE TO BLAME TOO.”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Then once I get out of here, I’ll slaughter that bastard as well!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“CAN YOU? CAN YOU STOP ME? I THINK NOT. MUCH STRONGER THAN BEFORE.”</p><p>“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Gil calmly chimed in as he opened more glowing portals around him. Just then, a series of gold-colored chains thrust out of them and ensnared Minotaur while he was preoccupied with taunting Atalante. No matter what he did to break free, he remained firmly stuck in place.</p><p>“GH!? S-SO TIGHT! CAN’T… MOVE!”</p><p>“Sorry to inform you, but these are the Chains of Heaven. Struggle all you wish, but those who possess high Divinity will never be able to escape. You should do the decent thing and submit yourself to the fullest extent of the law. Of course, the law doesn’t really mean much in these desolate halls where even the innocent are consumed, so we’ll have to make do with a quick execution.”</p><p>“So slow! What took you so long to snatch that brute!?” Wu snapped at Gil.</p><p>“I could have done it earlier, but I didn’t want to ensnare Lady Atalante as well.”</p><p>While they were talking, Connla watched as the huntress sailed over Minotaur’s head and fired dozens of arrows at where she believed his neck was hiding within the white mane of hair, hoping to pierce his carotid artery. Some blood sprayed out of him, but it didn’t appear to be enough to weaken him. She landed several feet behind him and proceeded to charge her Noble Phantasm.</p><p>
  <em>“For everyone you killed… For all of those poor children… abandoned by society… A-AAAAGH!”</em>
</p><p>She howled maniacally and charged at the immobilized Minotaur while shouting, <strong><em>“Tauropolos Skia Thermokrasia!”</em></strong></p><p>Dark swirls surrounded her body as she practically transformed into the wild Calidonian Boar that she was infamous for striking down, losing herself to the rage and frustration of imagining what the sacrificed children endured. The darkness overwhelmed both herself and Minotaur as she smashed into him, engulfing the area in sinister tendrils and black plumes of smoke. Blood sprayed everywhere, even splattering on the child Servants. They waited in bated silence to see if Atalante had been successful in slaying Minotaur.</p><p>“Did she… get him?” Jack finally squeaked.</p><p>Once the light filtered the darkness out, Connla, Jack and Wu immediately realized that Gil was missing. He had been standing several feet away from the girls just a second ago, so where had he gone? Connla looked over, then let out a horrified gasp.</p><p>“W-What is it!?” Wu wondered fearfully.</p><p>“Over there! Gil… he’s-!”</p><p>Against anything they could possibly expect, the young King of Uruk lay there in a bloody pile against the wall. They had no idea what happened to him until they discovered pieces of the Chains of Heaven scattered around their feet. Somehow, right as Atalante struck Minotaur, the monster defied the chains’ ability to trap the gods by breaking through them with brute force alone before striking Gil down with a fierce punch. Although he took the full brunt of Atalante’s Noble Phantasm, he managed to snatch the exhausted woman and crushed her bones in his grasp. Then he brought her head closer to his mouth, and…</p><p><em>“Don’t look!”</em> Connla yelped as she covered Wu’s eyes.</p><p>Minotaur finished eating and tossed aside Atalante’s head- and spine-less body. Both she and Gil faded into particles, but the others barely noticed as the gigantic Servant faced them and chuckled, “KE HE HE HE… ARE YOU SCARED? OF COURSE YOU ARE… <strong><em>‘CAUSE I’M GONNA EAT YOU NEXT!</em></strong>”</p><p>Connla grunted angrily and dashed in low to focus his attention on her. Although Minotaur was fast despite his gargantuan physical size, it was like trying to swat a fly in midflight as he attempted to strike the much more agile Lancer. Every time he thought he could cleave her into pieces, she would lithely flip out of the way. She even performed a graceful back jump one would see a high jumper do at a triathlon right as one of his axes rushed beneath her back and legs. It was so close that some hair was shorn off of her short ponytail.</p><p>“KHHH! STAY <strong><em>STILL!</em></strong>” Minotaur raged as he flailed his axes at the wall where Connla was about to bounce off. She leapt off just in time before the gigantic blades smashed into the concrete and decimated the wall.</p><p>“Now I’ve got you!” Jack shouted as a dark aura emanated from her feet and enveloped her body until she resembled a perfect silhouette. She jumped high, then twisted so that she was in a diving motion before shooting straight for Minotaur’s exposed back. Right as the attack struck him, she exclaimed, <strong><em>“Maria the Ripper!”</em></strong></p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAGH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Blood exploded out of him as she carved into his flesh multiple times. Her intent was to sever his spinal cord, but she quickly discovered that despite using her Noble Phantasm, she wasn’t strong enough to burrow deep enough to actually reach the bone. He was just way too large and durable for her little arms to penetrate such thick layers of skin and muscle. Even so, the attack did cause some severe damage so that his agility was greatly reduced. Unfortunately, the others would soon see that this benefit would not come without a great sacrifice.</p><p>Before Jack could leap off of Minotaur’s upper back, he reached around and snatched her within his mighty grasp. Unable to escape, she could only pitifully struggle before he smashed her upon the floor, liquefying her in a bloody mess the same way he did to Alexander and Gil. Minotaur then clenched Jack’s remains and shoved them into his mouth, greedily chewing and savoring his latest morsel.</p><p>“Ah… T-This can’t be… happening…” Wu shuddered pathetically.</p><p>Connla was likewise as frightened, but she had enough experience from her training in the Land of Shadows to stay calm during such a grisly situation. She immediately grabbed Wu’s wrist and forced her to follow her through the hallways. They just kept running, running, and running so that they could make as much distance as possible between them and the carnivorous Servant. All while fleeing, Wu cried out, “What’s going on here!? We all managed to defeat that thing the first time we encountered it! Why is it so much stronger this time!? It literally made dinner our of half of us without so much as flinching!”</p><p>“This may just be a theory,” Connla gasped, “but I noticed that the Servants he consumed were all reduced to pure mana as they were digested.”</p><p>“Good word! How appalling!”</p><p>“I’m guessing that Minotaur’s strength and size exploded in proportion to the number of Servants that he consumed in the past. There’s no way a Mage can summon him when he’s in such a monstrous state, after all. If they wanted to maintain any semblance of control over him, they’d have to summon him at a much weaker point.”</p><p>“Well, those who were not eaten managed to deal a significant deal of damage in return, but will it be possible for just the two of us to actually kill it!?”</p><p>“That’s why we should find the exit so it doesn’t come to that!”</p><p>“Agreed!”</p><p>“Lady Atalante believed it was over this way! Let’s hurry!”</p><p>Connla and Wu hurried down a long flight of stairs and turned a corner. Just as they suspected, the glorious sight of a huge set of closed doors greeted them. However, their hearts sunk when they discovered a strange lock that looked like Minotaur’s mask clamped over the two door handles.</p><p>“Is this some kind of joke!?” Wu screamed angrily. “We do not have time for such nonsense! Do something, Cu!”</p><p>Connla raised her hand and fired some Ansuz Runes at the lock, causing fireballs to explode around the door. When the smoke settled, they discovered that the lock hadn’t been so much as scratched. Wu likewise made an attempt by pouring a jar of highly corrosive poison over it, but the fluid simply slipped off like harmless water. Connla tensed up as she admitted, “This is bad. Nothing we do will work.”</p><p>“What is the meaning of this!? We came so far only to be stopped like <em>this</em>!?”</p><p>“I suppose not having a lock on the entrance would defeat the whole purpose of the Minotaur’s Labyrinth. If he wound up finding these doors, it would be disastrous for him to escape so easily.”</p><p>“So how are we supposed to get rid of this lock?”</p><p>“I don’t know. Maybe we have to find a key?”</p><p>Just then, they heard a deep grunt echo through the halls, “NO. NO KEY HERE.”</p><p>Both girls yelped and whirled around. They heard a pair of heavy footsteps rumble in the distance as Minotaur emerged from the shadows.</p><p>“I AM KEY,” he told them, appearing distinctly forlorn. “MY DEATH KEY. KILL ME, LOCK OPENS. NO OTHER WAY.”</p><p>“I see,” Connla frowned, then brandished her spear. “Lady Wu, I’m afraid we don’t have a choice here.”</p><p>The empress clenched her teeth and scowled, “So it would seem. Now that the stakes are this high, we shall become the embodiment of the Manual of Accusation! Prepare yourself, for we shall subject you to a most horrifying punishment for all the crimes you have committed against our fellow Servants!”</p><p>“NO… NO WANT… TO EAT.”</p><p>Connla narrowed her eyes as she heard Minotaur moaning under his breath.</p><p>“I WANT… OUTSIDE…”</p><p>She glanced back at the doors and thought, <em>I wonder if him seeing the entrance is affecting his morale. It might be cruel, but this is an advantage we should fully utilize.</em></p><p>“Come to us, our loyal enforcers!” Wu shouted and raised her wand forth. Sections of the floor were covered in dark mists, and strange women garbed in purple robes and face-covering helmets emerged like ghosts. These were the Kuli, the Torture Enforcers that Wu Zetian once relied upon to enact her laws. Although their gait was awkward, they possessed a certain hardiness that made it difficult for them to be defeated with anything but attacks from Servants. They carried spiked maces and lumbered toward Minotaur while flailing their weapons, digging into his wounded legs as best as they could.</p><p>“PESKY! GO AWAY… UGLY THINGS!” Minotaur raged and cleaved one of his axes through the crowd. The women were carved into halves, but they merely disintegrated into acrid smoke. He grabbed one and shoved it into his mouth, but he quickly discovered how <em>awful</em> the Kuli tasted and spat it out while raging, “TERRIBLE! DISGUSTING! LIKE EATING… SEWAGE!”</p><p>“Keh hah hah hah! How do you like it, Bull of Minos!?” Wu laughed haughtily. “You’d best steel yourself though, for we are just getting started!”</p><p>She raised her wand again, and this time the smoky mist curled around Minotaur until it solidified into a massive clay jar that could contain him. Even though the lid was tightly sealed, some kind of white mist managed to waft out, and they could also hear some kind of sizzling sound coming from inside.</p><p>“Is that steam?” Connla wondered.</p><p>“Umu!” Wu nodded proudly and folded her arms. “This is our Noble Phantasm, Manual of Accusation! No matter how powerful the enemy may be, even a quick dip in our poison jar will have them beg for mercy! As we speak, Minotaur’s flesh is being cooked from the outside! We would not be surprised if he accidentally swallowed some and exposed his innards to the same excruciating torture! Given enough time, he will be reduced to mere bones!”</p><p>“Can you really maintain it for that long?”</p><p>“Not to worry! Our poison is fast-acting, so-“</p><p>Suddenly, the jar exploded into small fragments with a powerful shattering sound, and gallons of steaming poison splashed all over the floor. Wu wasn’t affected by the substance, but Connla was unsure if she would be injured by it, so she leapt high and generated a platform Rune to crouch on. Minotaur broke out of his prison and, before either of the girls could react, slammed his swinging arm against Wu’s small body and sent her flying back-first against the opposite wall. The sound of bones fracturing into pieces was distinctly audible. The empress collapsed into a useless pile of bleeding flesh and splintered bones.</p><p><em>“Lady Wu!”</em> Connla screamed, then ran in front to guard her from Minotaur as he glared at them with the most intimidating eyes imaginable. Right away, she noticed that most of his messy white mane was gone, and at least the outer layers of his entire skin had been seared off so that his muscle was exposed. The combination of Wu’s poison and Minotaur’s cooking flesh caused the entire area to smell absolutely rancid, and she had to cough in revulsion.</p><p>“IT HURTS… IT HURTS… <strong><em>IT HURRR~RRRTS!</em></strong>” he squealed uncontrollably. <strong><em>“MAIM! DISMEMBER! KILL! EVERYONE… MUST DIE!</em></strong>”</p><p>Connla brandished her spear in an elegant pose, then declared, “I know. I understand how it feels to be closed off and tortured simply for being born. That’s why I’m going to set you free right now, Minotaur… Or rather, the Ruler of the Stars, Asterios!”</p><p>Soon, a gentle breeze picked up around her that escalated into a small tornado. With a breathy, ethereal voice that barely matched her youthful frame, she chanted, <em>“Concealed identities… Blinking vignettes… Unsolved mysteries…”</em></p><p>“HUH…?” Minotaur paused. He was utterly baffled by this strange feeling running across his seared skin. It actually cooled him down a bit, and his rage subsided as he murmured, “IS THIS… WIND?”</p><p>He thought he had felt this before. Somewhere, in some other time, in some other life… he had experienced the thrilling sensation of hard winds blowing his messy hair about. He had no idea why he was remembering such things when he never left the labyrinth for his whole life. As he stared at the unusually calm Connla, something about the color of her lavender hair triggered another memory. This time, there was a woman with long twin pigtails who wore a white dress with black bows. Although it was faint, he could hear her voice crying out:</p><p>
  <em>“No matter what anyone else says, you’re Asterios, and nobody else!”</em>
</p><p>“AH… WHERE… IS THIS? WHO ARE YOU? YOU… CALLED ME… BY MY NAME.”</p><p>The blustery winds intensified in ferocity and scooped Connla off her feet as she glared at where she believed his heart was. The spirits of numerous sacrificed children, as well as Servants who died within the labyrinth responded to her call and offered their collective power to her. While weak on her own, she could finally retaliate against the severely weakened Minotaur and put an end to this. Once she was ready, she pointed her spear at him.</p><p><strong><em>“Laoch Gan Finsceal!”</em></strong> she shouted, and instantly shot straight for his chest like a fired bullet. There was absolutely no time for him to react. Before he even understood what happened, she had pierced clean through his heart and emerged out of his back. She landed in a crouching position and remained there as the energy surrounding her dissipated.</p><p>“WHAT… IS THIS?” Minotaur gasped, raising his hand before his profusely bleeding chest. “PAINFUL… SO VERY, VERY PAINFUL.”</p><p>He collapsed onto his back with a loud thud. Connla stood back up and faced him, still feeling tense as she wasn’t sure if that was enough to kill him. She wanted to run to Wu’s side, but she feared exposing them to counterattack until she was certain the beast’s Spirit Origin vanished. Huge amounts of blood pooled on the floor around him as he stared blankly at the ceiling.</p><p>“WIND… LIGHT… SUNSHINE… OCEAN… AND A… PRETTY LADY.”</p><p>Minotaur’s lips curled into a light smile. For that brief moment, the Heroic Spirit Asterios awoke within him.</p><p>“WHAT A… HAPPY MEMORY…”</p><p>His huge body gradually disintegrated into golden particles and scattered all around Connla and Wu. A minute later, the Minotaur was no more. Confident that they were safe now, the Lancer hurried over to the Assassin and kneeled over her. Wu took her friend’s hand and gurgled between labored breaths, “That was… amazing. Truly… a marvelous recreation… of the battle… between David and Goliath.”</p><p>“Please, try not to talk. If you stay still, you should recover eventually.”</p><p>“We know our body… the best. We will not… survive.”</p><p>“Lady Wu…” Connla murmured sadly.</p><p>The empress closed her eyes and chuckled bitterly. “Heh heh… We really were… a burden to you all… weren’t we? Even when we… did our best… it still wasn’t enough.”</p><p>“That’s not true. You really gave it everything you had, despite being forced into such an awful situation.”</p><p>“Your words… are most kind. Such a shame… we could not… grant a country… to someone as noble… as you.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t want such a thing anyway.”</p><p>“He he he he,” Wu genuinely giggled. “Of course. What a… lovely contradiction. If only you had… more confidence in yourself… you’d make for… a most excellent vassal.”</p><p>“A vassal?”</p><p>“Remember this. A ruler is nothing… unless they have… a wonderful vassal by their side… to keep them… on the correct path. That’s a role… most fitting for you. You might be… meek and pitiful… but you’re also so dedicated… even towards a woman like us. We bet any king… worth his salt… would want to make you… his faithful retainer.”</p><p>Connla shook her head. “I don’t know about that. I still have so much to learn.”</p><p>“Ah… Why must you… be so hard on yourself? It’s like we’re… listening to ourselves. It makes us… want to vomit.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Geez. Never mind that. This is… our last order to you. Escape from here. Experience the light… that the rest of us couldn’t. Even for… Minotaur’s sake.”</p><p>Connla nodded and firmly said, “I will.”</p><p>“Aaah, this is the worst,” Wu grumbled as her body glowed gold and gradually faded away. “In the end… we never did get to learn… your True Name.”</p><p>The Lancer frowned, then replied, “I can’t say my name directly, but I can tell you that I’m Cuchulainn’s ‘son’.”</p><p>“The Celtic hero’s… son?”</p><p>“Yes. I am the Heroic Spirit bound to three geasa; to never turn back from my journey, to never back down from a challenge to combat, and to never say my name. Even as a Servant, I still have to uphold those vows.”</p><p>A bout of mirth overcame Wu as she laughed, “Ah ha… ha ha ha! We knew it! We knew you were somehow… related to him! So <em>that’s</em> who you are! Yes, indeed… we know your True Name now. With all the mysteries solved… we can die satisfied. If we meet again… we’ll be sure… to remember that.”</p><p>With that parting remark, the empress finally expired in a flurry of gold particles. Although greatly bothered that she was the last survivor and was unable to save Wu, Connla stood up and silently approached the previously locked entrance. She pressed her hands against the doors and pushed them open without hesitation. A bright white light cracked through, then spilled all over her vision until she was engulfed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Guidance of the Kings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 8: Guidance of the Kings</strong>
</p><p>Connla felt her mind be absorbed back into her body as the dream ended, much like a vacuum sucking up dust off the floor. The sensation woke her numbed senses up, and she instantly realized that she felt <em>terrible</em>. Even without opening her eyes, her brain was practically doing somersaults inside her cranium.</p><p>“Uuuuh,” she moaned. At least the blankets were nice and cozy, so she tried to curl up and make herself comfortable.</p><p>“Mornin’, sleepyhead,” she heard Cuchulainn Alter’s voice break the silence, and she opened her eyes to gaze up at him. He was sitting on a stool next to her bed and observing her as she slept.</p><p>“Father… I don’t know why, but I feel absolutely horrible…”</p><p>“No kidding. It’s called a hangover.”</p><p>“A what, now?”</p><p>“The aftereffects of consuming alcohol. Don’t you remember what you did yesterday?”</p><p>“Um… I went with Lancer to do some shopping?”</p><p>“That was two days ago. Yesterday, Shuten-Douji dragged you to her room and got you plastered on spiked coffee.”</p><p>“Hmm… ummm… oh! Yes, now I remember! Lady Shuten brought me over for a visit!” Connla realized. “We did some talking, but I really don’t recall about what though. I know I took some sips of that coffee that Lady Ibaraki gave me. I just can’t remember anything other than some strange buzz hitting me in my head and chest though.”</p><p>Cuchulainn became visibly upset as he grumbled, “What the hell were you thinking? You should never, <em>ever</em> accept anything that those two worthless oni give you.”</p><p>“But I was feeling so down after what Lancer did that I wasn’t really thinking straight.”</p><p>“Ugh… Guess I can’t blame you for that. Besides, I was there with you inside Mini-Cu and failed to stop them too. Part of this is my fault as well.”</p><p>“Even so,” the young Servant gazed away blankly, “that buzz felt rather nice, as if all of my problems disappeared for a short while. I think I might try that stuff again.”</p><p>His eyes immediately flared, and he snarled, <em>“No drinking.”</em></p><p>“Aww…”</p><p>“Don’t you whine at me, young lady. I refuse to watch you slip into alcoholism like that. The next time you willingly consume that crap, I’ll drag you over my knee and give you five good whacks to your bottom to sober you up.”</p><p>She raised an eyebrow and wondered, “Huh? That’s it?”</p><p>“What do you mean ‘that’s it’?”</p><p>“Mother would do something like whip me 100 times, or make me run up and down the mountain within an afternoon, or test a sharpened knife on my back shoulder. Your idea of a punishment seems rather tame in comparison.”</p><p>Cuchulainn’s heart beat out of rhythm as he heard this, and he reeled in disgust. Connla winced, then tucked her lower face beneath the covers as she whimpered, “Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”</p><p>“No, it’s fine,” he assured and rubbed her head. “I can see how alcohol would be tempting to you, but don’t do it. I don’t want to see you behave like that again.”</p><p>“Like what?”</p><p>“Just some verbal dramatics.”</p><p>“Oh dear. Did I say anything to upset you?”</p><p>“Relax. It’s nothing to be worked up about.”</p><p>Connla mumbled, unsure if she could accept his explanation. Since she had no memory of her drunken outburst though, she could only go by what he was saying and not worry about it too much. Cuchulainn wiped her forehead clean of cold sweat as he said, “You still look exhausted. I guessing you had one of those dreams again?”</p><p>“Mm-hmm.”</p><p>“Just stay in bed for now. Once you’ve recovered, you should take a look at this.”</p><p>He showed her an envelope which contained a peculiar stub that looked like a Summon Ticket except it was colored silver instead of gold. Connla wondered, “What is that?”</p><p>“Master dropped this off earlier. It’s a free pass to use one of the simulator rooms for a whole day.”</p><p>“What for?”</p><p>“Beats me. She said that she heard about what that idiot Lancer did and offered it as a present. I guess you can simulate whatever the hell you want, whether it’s a battle or some favorite place.”</p><p>As Cuchulainn watched Connla observe the ticket, he thought back to what Ritsuka actually said during her brief visit:</p><p>
  <em>“Connla really said she wanted to die? Actually, that doesn’t surprise me at all. She thought everyone would be happier if she was discharged from Chaldea and returned to the Throne. She wasn’t that blunt about it, but I kind of got the sense that she’s becoming more and more exhausted with everything happening around her. Now I’m really getting worried about her state of mind. If this keeps up, she might really do the same thing that Tachibana did. That’s why Mash, Roman, Da Vinci and I all pitched in to give her this ticket… Well technically someone else did too, but he wants to remain anonymous. Anyway, she can pop into the simulator and do whatever she wants to help herself unwind.”</em>
</p><p>He sighed, then told his daughter, “There you have it. I suggest you save it for later and concentrate on writing a record of this latest dream you had.”</p><p>“Okay,” Connla said, and Cuchulainn dematerialized so that his Spirit Origin returned inside Mini-Cu. He crawled onto her lap as she pulled out the laptop affixed to the wall next to her bed, turned on a writing document, and spent the next few hours typing. Writing the document consumed whatever precious energy she had regained while asleep, so once she was finished, she turned off the computer and fell back into a far more restful slumber.</p>
<hr/><p>The following morning, the door to a free simulator room slid open, and Connla stepped through alone while carrying Mini-Cu. Without saying a word, she inserted the ticket, flicked the light on and headed for the control station, where she inputted some values for a few minutes. The entire area flickered like static until the surroundings changed from a plain white room to the view from a mountainside. The temperature rapidly adjusted itself to match the conditions one would experience in such a location, so a chilly breeze ruffled her hair and clothes. Although the dirt, wild plants, skies, mountain ranges and cold weather weren’t actually real, the simulator was so advanced that it practically felt like she was hiking in the mountains.</p><p>Not only that, there was also a quaint lodge nestled within a grove of trees. A large tree stump served as a work table for chopping wood, a small stable was connected to the house, and there was a wooden cabin nearby for storing work tools and horse rearing equipment. Connla gazed at the house for a long time, never saying anything as she took in the atmosphere that was her home.</p><p>Meanwhile, there was an observation room with a one-way mirror situated above the simulator. Chaldea’s staff members would watch Servants fight against projected monsters and gather data on their capabilities, all without disrupting the Servants’ performance by allowing the windows to only be looked through by the analyzers. This time though, Ritsuka, Mash, Roman and Da Vinci were all present to see what sort of place the troubled child Servant would create to give herself some peace of mind.</p><p>As if afraid to disturb the heavy silence surrounding Connla, Mash whispered to Ritsuka, “Is this supposed to be where she grew up?”</p><p>“I think so.”</p><p>“This doesn’t look like the Land of Shadows, so it must be in Scotland where she was born and raised,” Roman also spoke in a hushed tone.</p><p>“Hmm,” Da Vinci murmured to herself. “Maybe it’s not fitting for someone like myself, but it’s certainly giving me ideas on how I can repurpose her room. A charming little wood cottage caught in the middle of a fierce snowstorm… The trapped occupants resort to curling up beneath some blankets while sitting in front of the roaring fireplace. As they bundle up together, they either tell stories to each other, or quietly read books until they fall asleep.”</p><p>“Yeah, that sounds really nice,” Mash smiled. “It could be a welcome change of pace compared to all of the other futuristic rooms we have.”</p><p>“All we’d need is some hot chocolate and marshmallows, and it’d be perfect,” Roman agreed.</p><p>Ritsuka chuckled, “You’re such a child sometimes, Doctor.”</p><p>“Hey, gimme a break. Sugar is what keeps me going during the busier times.”</p><p>“If you say so. Oh, look. Where’s Connla going now?”</p><p>Everyone returned their attention to the young Lancer as she headed toward the shed. It was only then that they noticed a small dog house attached to the rear side of the cabin.</p><p>“That’s odd,” Mash murmured. “Did she ever mention anything about owning a dog?”</p><p>“I don’t think so,” Ritsuka shook her head.</p><p>They peered around to get a better look at what she was doing. Then, she did the unthinkable.</p><p>“Wait a minute,” Roman muttered in surprise. “She’s not going <em>inside</em>… is she?”</p><p>Indeed, Connla had gotten on all fours and crawled into the dog house. Once she was settled, she draped a thick curtain over the entrance to keep out the simulated cold. The others waited for five minutes to see if she would do anything else, but alas, there was no further movement on her part.</p><p>“Uh…” Da Vinci uttered, totally clueless on how to react.</p><p>Mash’s earlier delight turned into uncertainty. “You’re kidding, right? Please tell me this is some kind of bad joke.”</p><p>Roman closed his eyes somberly. “It’s bad, all right, but certainly no joke.”</p><p>“I had heard of her mother’s mistreatment of her, but this is something else,” Ritsuka moaned.</p><p>“What should we do, Senpai?” Mash wondered. “Should we call her back out?”</p><p>“I don’t know. It may be terrible from our point of view, but maybe this really is where she feels most comfortable. I’d feel bad about bothering her if she’s really found her happy place.”</p><p>“I’m not so sure. No matter how you slice it, this is just way too cruel for me to stomach. Aife had such a nice house, and yet she only allowed Connla to sleep outside like she was some stray mutt?”</p><p>“Well one thing’s for certain,” Da Vinci said. “We’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg as far as Connla’s life goes. With almost no records of her existence remaining, all we have to go on are the things she allows us to see. It may be hard, but we have to accept whatever it is she shows us, and then teach her that it’s not how she’s supposed to live as a human being.”</p><p>“You’re right. It’ll be hard, but I’ll do my best to help out.”</p><p>Just then, while the quartet were discussing what to do next, they heard a man’s voice exclaim, “Hah. How exactly do you plan on showing the runt how to be happy? Through excessively pitying her upbringing? Always patting her on the head when she does something of utter insignificance? Nonsense. If sympathy will not work on her, then she must be dragged out of her mother’s overbearing shadow through brute force.”</p><p>“Wha-!?” Ritsuka gasped and turned around. Once again, Gilgamesh was there to disrupt them with his uncalled-for opinions. The young Master blurted, “L-Lord Gilgamesh!? What are <em>you</em> doing here!?”</p><p>“I spotted the runt going into the simulator and thought I could extract some form of entertainment from watching her fight battles. Maybe I could have surreptitiously programmed her to fight a most powerful opponent. That <em>was</em> the purpose of my contribution to this farce in the first place,” he declared. His stern glare turned even more fierce as he bellowed, “Instead, what I find is a most wretched display of mankind’s inhumanity toward their own kind. How repulsive. How utterly disgusting. Such ridiculousness will not be tolerated within my presence. I am offended beyond words at this point.”</p><p>“Wait, it’s not what you think!” Roman barked. “We just wanted to see what would make her happy, so we decided she should use the simulator! We never thought she would-!”</p><p>“You think I’m not aware of your intentions, mongrel? You’re trying to support that emotionally stunted pup through acts of love and kindness. But those kinds of affections will prove useless on someone who does not understand the basic concept of love. If anything, your pity would only further support her persistent depression. As a king, my glory is equivalent to the joy my subjects experience. Now that I have established Chaldea as my current empire, I must ensure that all of my citizens understand how rewarding it is to be within my divine presence, and to experience the joy of being watched over by their king.”</p><p>“Okaa~aay… So what does any of this have to do with Connla? For someone of your regal stature, she’s little more than a trainee hardly worth your notice.”</p><p>“Still your tongue, mongrel. Your mediocre assumptions of how I judge others’ value appalls me. No matter how feeble or powerful one may be, all are equals before me. Anyone who attempts to crush each other beneath their heel while in my country will come to understand my wrath. Even more irritating are those who accept such discrimination without raising any form of objection.</p><p>“That’s why the runt’s behavior infuriates me. No matter how much my people care for her, she remains annoyingly unreceptive to such affections. She attends to others with great fervor, yet such services are naught more than robotic motions lacking passion. She has become a blemish on the otherwise perfect skin of my kingdom. And now she has the gall to demonstrate such a lowly office… The scum.”</p><p>“Lord Gilgamesh!” Ritsuka exclaimed angrily. “Don’t call Connla such things! She’s really trying her best!”</p><p>“Did you think I was referring to the runt? No, not at all. I truly have no complaints about her performance as a Servant. In fact, I’ve found great entertainment in reading the anecdotes of her exploits and triumphs in the dream worlds. If it wasn’t for her despondent nature grating my nerves, I would have approached her long ago. The ones I speak of are the ravenous dogs that gave birth to her. Her mother discarded her, and her father abandoned her, only to murder her in the end. Even now, here in Chaldea, that foolish hound ignored her. It’s high time I made her forget about those wild animals she calls ‘parents’ and come to address me as her one and only superior.”</p><p>Ritsuka couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Wait, what? You actually think of her that way?”</p><p>“Oh ho,” Da Vinci smiled. “Looks like my hunch was right.”</p><p>“Hunch?” Gilgamesh wondered.</p><p>“You were the one who guided Babbage’s hand in helping us discover the Runes embedded on Connla’s brain. Not only that, you warned Kintoki about Shuten and Ibaraki picking on her. You even used your abilities to scry for her and Mordred when they were stranded in the Denmark Singularity, even though they’re normally the type of Servants you wouldn’t pay attention to. Be honest with me, King of Uruk. You’re actually observing Connla, aren’t you?”</p><p>His brow furrowed in consternation, and he snarled a little while barking, “Fool! Who do you take me for!? All I am doing is seeking out individuals of the highest caliber to cater to my personal whims! Most of the young mongrel’s Servants are much too proud to bow before me, so making them bend to my will is a waste of my precious time. Thus, finding a Servant abundant in both talent and humility is an opportunity I cannot afford to waste. All I need to do is cure the runt of this tenacious melancholy gripping her spirit, and I will have myself a vassal who shall respond to my summons without hesitation.”</p><p>“So in the end, you’re still looking after her.”</p><p>“Hmph. I see. Expecting a common plebian to understand my grand motivations is quite the error on my part. But that’s enough talk. It’s time I demonstrated my supremacy through actions rather than mere words. Now stand aside, fools!”</p><p>Gilgamesh marched past the bewildered group and made the door to the simulator slide open in time so that his walking pace remained uninterrupted. He headed straight for the occupied dog house and stood tall before it, folding his arms and glaring at the small structure with utter disdain. If Connla had heard his footsteps, she made no motion to regard him.</p><p>“How rude. You know you have a guest of the highest esteem imaginable, yet you blatantly ignore them. Come out this instant, runt, or I will get just the slightest bit serious,” he commanded.</p><p>The curtain obscuring the entrance finally ruffled, and Connla pushed it aside so she could look up at him. Her skin clearly paled several shades, and her eyes bulged wide open once she made eye contact with the king.</p><p>“Uh… Lord Gilgamesh? Can I help you with something, sire?” she murmured nervously.</p><p>“Get out. <em>Now.</em>”</p><p>The little girl whimpered, but obeyed his order and crawled back out before standing at attention. She held Mini-Cu so tightly to her chest that his stitching could have burst open, and she shivered in obvious anxiety. To him, she looked so pathetic that he couldn’t resist letting out an exasperated groan.</p><p>“Listen up, runt,” he declared. “I have seen the results of your training. Although your combat performance is satisfactory, albeit still rusty in certain areas, it is your poignant attitude that I can no longer tolerate.”</p><p>“Um… I’m not sure I understand,” Connla said.</p><p>“If you are going to be a citizen of my empire, then you must demonstrate what it means to be an extension of myself. My people are to celebrate life as much as I do. Those who fail to do so need to be shown the way. Though your efforts as a warrior are commendable, your development as a human being has been so infuriatingly tedious that I cannot resist stepping in to act as a teacher in the art of living proudly. Rejoice, runt, for you have made my urge much too compelling to ignore any further.”</p><p>She tilted her head and said nothing in return. She was way too confused to comprehend what he was trying to tell her.</p><p>“What are you, a newborn chick?” Gilgamesh snapped. “Do I need to make my intentions any clearer than that? Even an idiot can understand what I am saying by now.”</p><p>“Uh… Y-Yes, I understand what you’re getting at. But I don’t see what convinced you to approach me when I’m nowhere near as strong as you.”</p><p>“Imbecile. Do you think I only focus on strength found through battle? There are many other standards that I measure others with. Though you aren’t a perfect replacement for Siduri, you’ve met enough of my criteria to merit my attention. Now, follow me. And for the love of all things, be rid of this horrid simulation at once! Seeing you lie about like a real dog is enough to make me sick!”</p><p>“My apologies. I was just trying to get away from the hustle and bustle for a bit,” Connla murmured, then deactivated the simulation before following him outside. After a minute, she asked, “Where are we going?”</p><p>“To my quarters. You will aquaint yourself with every conceivable nook and cranny that can get dirty, since you will be responsible for maintaining my chamber’s integrity on a daily basis.”</p><p>He showed her inside a room on the third floor that was particularly isolated from the rest of Chaldea’s lower floors. This floor housed rooms for those Servants who cared not to intermingle with the rest, preferring to sequester themselves in constant solitude until their services were called upon. Connla had come up here before to do some chores, but never actually went inside any of the rooms out of fear of invading the Servants’ much-guarded privacy. During such times, she kept her presence at such an absolute minimum that she sometimes used her Identity Concealment cloaking to hide herself. That was why it felt especially awkward for her to follow Gilgamesh while in these quiet halls, as if she was intruding in a space that she didn’t belong.</p><p>The door to his room automatically slid open, and he entered without interrupting his stride. The lights likewise flickered to life on their own, and Connla finally got to see what the King of Heroes’ personal quarters were like. He had this space modeled after the throne room of the ziggurat he once ruled Uruk from 2500 years ago, complete with gold-plated walls, marble flooring, a throne, and simulated views of the outside city from all four sides. There were the standard outfittings such as a bed, bath, kitchen and lounge, but they were all as grand and luxurious as humanly possible. Jewels studded the golden tub (which resembled a Holy Grail’s cup), the couch was lined with the softest velvet imaginable, and even all the silverware were decorated with lovely designs made out of diamonds.</p><p>However, this bold sight was offset by the blatant lack of care given to this area. Empty wine bottles threatened to overcrowd all of the available tables, the garbage bins were stuffed full, and the stench of old wet towels slammed her nostrils like a one-two punch. Clearly, Gilgamesh had not been keeping up with hygienic standards that were expected of everyone within Chaldea. The trouble was that he was far too arrogant to do such dirty work himself, and everyone else was too afraid to come in here and risk inciting the king’s ire. That was the situation Connla was greeted with, and it utterly stunned her.</p><p>“Oh, goodness,” she murmured as she stared not at the grand décor and luxury that would have bewildered anyone else, but rather at the mess that was building up. Before Gilgamesh could say anything, Connla approached one of the tables and started packing wine bottles into a crate while saying, “I better get started right away!”</p><p>He raised an eyebrow and thought, <em>How peculiar. The sight of my unimaginable wealth is less important than the unpleasant state I have left this chamber in for too long?</em></p><p>As she started cleaning, she asked, “Sorry for asking, but where do you keep your cleaning products?”</p><p>“Cleaning products? In here? Surely you jest.”</p><p>“You mean you don’t even have a closet for such items?”</p><p>“Why would I?”</p><p>She sighed and thought in dismay, <em>This is going to take a while…</em></p>
<hr/><p>Over the next few days, word quickly spread around Chaldea about Connla’s new job. Some were proud of her unexpected promotion, while others were quick to ask questions about whether or not Gilgamesh was picking on her. It became clear though that there was nothing for anyone to worry about. If anything, it was Connla who kept pressuring Gilgamesh to at least install a small closet for cleaning products. She managed to convince him by saying it would help expedite her work, and it most certainly did. Bit by bit, she tidied up his chambers and scrubbed every surface down until everything glistened and shone, as he so desired.</p><p>Today, Connla was on her hands and knees meticulously wiping the small kitchen floor to get rid of months’ worth of residue that had built up. Meanwhile, a large pot of boar meat stew bubbled away, which she occasionally stirred. Gilgamesh had asked her to prepare something for him to eat once he returned from his latest Rayshift with Ritsuka. He left the meal up to her judgment, which greatly worried her because her culinary skills were less than average, or so she believed. She didn’t want to bother anyone in Chaldea’s kitchen though, so she decided to whip up Aife’s favorite stew and see if Gilgamesh would like it.</p><p>As Connla discarded the bucket of dirty water, the door to the room opened, and the king stepped through while declaring, “I have returned, runt. What progress have you made today?”</p><p>“The kitchen floor is all ready,” she announced as she peeled off the rubber gloves. “I will want to keep up with it at least once a week though. Tomorrow will be the inside of the oven so that I can test making some bread.”</p><p>“Very good. Hmm… That smells quite sumptuous. The attention my appetite demands rivals even my own ego. Today’s hunt was most plentiful, so I will only settle for a meal of equal caliber.”</p><p>“It’s a little sloppy looking since I wasn’t exactly trained in the art of presentation, but this is the best thing I could cook,” Connla explained as she prepared a bowl of stew for him and set it on the table before him. He brought the fork to his mouth and consumed a piece of meat. He sat there for a minute while letting the food slide along his tongue, as if each taste bud was evaluating this delicacy.</p><p>“Oh ho… oh ho ho…” a small moan escaped his throat. Connla couldn’t tell if he was enjoying it or thoroughly disgusted with her cooking. That question was quickly answered when he crooned, “The ingredients and presentation are third-rate, yet this flavor, and the integrity behind such cuisine… Goodness. I find it most difficult to describe in mere words. I cannot imagine that such high-class virtues can be cultivated in such a rustic locale as your birthplace. This is, without doubt, a succulent amalgamation of choice ingredients, cooking methods, and spices. This would earn the seal of approval from a king - nay, a god.”</p><p>“Does that mean… it’s okay?” she nervously asked.</p><p>“More so than you can comprehend, runt. The meat just seems to melt in my mouth like butter, yet is filling enough to sate my appetite. The vegetables are cut in just the right size, and the doneness of each type is flawless. The presentation could use some work, but I will forgive such a minor oversight in favor of this impeccable taste. But now, I have this urge to interrogate you on how you came to learn such cuisine. It is impossible for you to have attended any sort of school in your time, especially for someone who grew up solely in the mountains with virtually no social contact.”</p><p>“Well, my mother loved stew, but never enjoyed making it. I think I was three or four when I remember making stew for the first time without getting her upset,” Connla explained. “She was always so particular about what she wanted, and would punish me severely if I didn’t do it exactly as she wrote in the recipe. Sometimes I would have to spend days hunting and gathering for the ingredients. I’m happy that Chaldea has most of what I need, but getting the boar meat is quite the chore.”</p><p>“I see, I see. Fu ha ha ha. That woman had quite the active imagination.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“If this meal is fit for a king, then she taught you to prepare such a dish in order to accommodate her deluded fantasy of being a ruler, when in reality she was naught more than common drivel that deserved to be forgotten by humanity.”</p><p>The young Lancer blinked in surprise. “You think Mother… was deluded?”</p><p>“I do not ‘think’ so. I <em>know</em> so. She was a king of her own imaginary fantasy kingdom, and you were the scullery maid that catered to such self-propagated egotism.”</p><p>Connla paused. She never thought of Aife in such a manner before, but once Gilgamesh explained it with such piercing clarity, a lot of the warrior woman’s behavior seemed to make much more sense now. With Aife already admitting that she truly hated Connla, the girl could see how she really was raised to be little more than a retainer. Perhaps Aife being unable to wrest rulership over the Land of Shadows from Scathach compelled her to find a new way to satisfy her craving for power and dominance. The bastard child she had with the man who defeated her must have been the perfect target to vent all of her humiliation upon without fear of retribution or punishment.</p><p>As Connla cleared the table, she murmured, “Then I suppose I was equally deluded for not noticing.”</p><p>“You certainly have a penchant for stealing others’ words, runt,” Gilgamesh retorted. “However, as you have been told many times, any and every child’s inherent duty is to obey their superiors, whether they be parents, adoptive guardians, or royal authorities. In that regard, there is nothing to accuse you of.”</p><p>“I know I’ve heard that before. It still seems really difficult to comprehend though, especially considering that my intelligence was artificially enhanced. Something in the back of my mind keeps telling me that I should have known better.”</p><p>“Enough. Listening to such talk is like watching you chase your own tail. If you seek to improve yourself, then start by serving me to the fullest extent without boring me with such bothersome drudgery. I can only listen to drivel like that for so long before I satisfy my compulsion to force-feed a silencing elixir down your throat.”</p><p>She tensed up, then uttered, “My apologies. I won’t talk about that anymore then.”</p><p>“Very good. Now, I will be off to observe my subjects. Perhaps I should have a good laugh with the faker that runs the kitchen below. Have a bottle of Romanée-Conti and some cheese and crackers prepared by the time I return.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p>
<hr/><p>Three more weeks passed. This routine continued without much incident, and Connla was starting to settle in quite nicely. By now, she could memorize every section of Gilgamesh’s room and spot anything unusual before he even knew it. Bit by bit, his grand living chambers returned to its original splendor, which greatly improved his mood. Not only was he happy with her efforts, but he was especially pleased that she never raised a word of complaint against him. If she ever did make a suggestion, she carefully worded it so that he would see how it benefitted him as well. Of course, she tried not to ask <em>too</em> much out of him, but there were times when she simply couldn’t hold back asking for a request or two.</p><p>By now, it was the beginning of July. Ritsuka, Mash, and several Servants including Artoria, Mordred and  Marie Antoinette among others were gone on some island trekking vacation, and many other Servants had taken off to enjoy the summer on their own. Some Servants remained on standby though, along with several jealous staff members. Connla didn’t really see what the big deal was with the summer months, but she was soon going to find out.</p><p>The young Lancer stood in front of another door that had the pattern of a blazing sun gilded on it in pure gold. Gilgamesh had sent her here on a most peculiar errand, and she wasn’t sure if she had heard him correctly. She had to look at his handwritten note multiple times to be certain she wasn’t imagining things. Although anxious about messing up this job, she pushed on the intercom button.</p><p><em>“Good day, you have reached the personal chambers of His Great Majesty, the Almighty Sun King, Pharaoh Ozymandias. Any frivolous disruption of his most deserved rest will be met with a swift and most immediate death. How may I help you today?” </em>a woman’s voice chirped on the other end.</p><p>“Lady Nitocris? It’s Little Lancer,” Connla replied.</p><p>
  <em>“Ah, there you are. Right on schedule.”</em>
</p><p>A moment later, the decorated door slid open, and the purple-haired lady Pharaoh declared, “How good of you to be on time for an appointment with my liege. Even just a few seconds later and you would have been in serious trouble.”</p><p>“My apologies for the interruption. I am here on Lord Gilgamesh’s behalf to relay a message to Lord Ozymandias.”</p><p>Nitocris guided Connla inside the chamber, which was modeled after the interior space of an Egyptian pyramid. The ridiculous amount of gold and gemstones lining the entire room was absolutely dazzling, perhaps enough to blind anyone who was caught off guard. Connla was already used to seeing Gilgamesh’s makeshift ziggurat on a daily basis though, so while the Egyptian design was incredible, the blatant display of luxury and wealth didn’t seem to impress her that much anymore. They approached the raised throne, where the black-haired Pharaoh reclined. He gazed upon his young visitor with eyes that were so gold that they could have encapsulated the sun itself.</p><p>“So you are the Child of Cuchulainn?” he asked.</p><p>Connla performed a curtsey and replied, “Indeed I am. I extend my most humble gratitude to you for taking this time to listen to my message.”</p><p>“Perish the thought, little one. Nitocris has told me much about your efforts to keep the Golden King at ease. Thanks to that, my conversations with him have elevated from perceived rivalry into a genuine camaraderie the likes of which I was unable to achieve even in my lifetime. With us at our contractor’s side, not even the King of Mages will be able to compete against the greatest displays of power manking has to offer. But that is not what we are assembled to discuss at the moment. Now speak, young Lancer. Inform me of what the Golden King would want to tell me when he could have easily done so in person.”</p><p>Connla swallowed nervously. “F-First of all, I would… like to apologize if my statements come off as uncomfortably blunt…”</p><p>“I am aware of your habit for speaking in a forward and direct manner. Nay, all children your age lack the self-awareness necessary to keep the harshest of honest opinions muted. Therefore, I shall pardon any perceived offense, so long as you are expedient in relaying your message.”</p><p>“Then I will simply read this verbatim.”</p><p>She cleared her throat, then said, <em>“Extend an invitation to the Sun King for a summer vacation in Okeanos.”</em></p><p>Both Pharaohs became deathly silent. Connla gazed at them for a short while, then uttered, “That’s what he wanted me to say.”</p><p>Nitocris clearly looked too appalled to say any words. Ozymandias didn’t seem to share in her surprise as he stared at the child with a blank expression. Then, without any warning whatsoever, his lips curled and he burst out in a bellow laugh!</p><p>“Feh hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah!”</p><p>“L-Lord Ozymandias?” Nitocris murmured shakily. “Are you all right? Should I throw her out immediately for offending you!?”</p><p>He kept laughing for a solid minute, then settled down and pressed his hand against his sore abdomen as he exclaimed, “There is no need, Nitocris. Hah hah hah! I can see how the Golden King would have been too bashful to ask such a thing of me directly!”</p><p>“Um, I think it’s less ‘bashful’ and more ‘too proud’, sire,” Connla muttered.</p><p>“I can see that! Indeed, that is the kind of status he would never lower himself to! Being humble enough to ask me to accompany him on a vacation! How hilarious! Not even I would be foolish enough to attempt such a degrading stunt! No wonder he was quick to employ you, Child of Cuchulainn! If he had not, I would have seized you and put you to work here instead!”</p><p>“There is no need for that!” Nitocris objected. “I am already sufficient enough to-!”</p><p>“Enough.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m so sorry! I did not mean to interrupt you!”</p><p>“An apology will not suffice. For your misdemeanor, you will clean my lavatory until it rivals the Golden King’s in terms of cleanliness and polish.”</p><p>“Of course! Thank you for this most auspicious honor! If you will excuse me!”</p><p>The female Pharaoh took off, leaving Connla gazing at where she was with both a wry and confused expression. After a short pause, she faced the king and said, “The message has been relayed. If there is no further business, I will excuse myself.”</p><p>“Hold. There is something I want to say to you.”</p><p>“Yes, sir?”</p><p>“In acknowledgement of your amicable and most courageous gesture, I shall impart on you a small token of guidance,” he declared, then rested his cheek upon his curled fingers. “Look to the sun for inspiration.”</p><p>Connla paused, then tilted her head in bewilderment. “Look to the sun… for inspiration?”</p><p>“Indeed. Perhaps you do not recall, but the light of the sun shines bright within your soul. Not as brilliantly as it does within me, mind you, but it would benefit you to remember the luminance that sired you. Only then will you be able to escape the darkness that persistently encroaches upon you.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“You are dismissed, young one. I shall give your message some consideration. Once I have made my decision, I will send Nitocris to deliver my response to the Golden King.”</p><p>“Understood,” the child Servant bowed, then quietly left the makeshift throne room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. God of Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 9: God of Light</strong>
</p>
<p>Three days following Connla’s meeting with Ozymandias, a group of Servants left on an excursion to Okeanos, the location of the Third Singularity where Ritsuka and her then-fledgling band met the famed pirate Francis Drake (revealed to be a rowdy woman rather than a man) and embarked on an adventure to protect the Holy Grail from Jason and his Argonauts. Drake and her pirates were long gone by now, and the Singularity was corrected. Considering how isolated the islands of Okeanos were from the rest of the world, it was a safe location for Chaldea’s Servants to traverse to without worrying about interfering with human history.</p>
<p>The island they chose to vacation on was the largest one in the peninsula, with a long beach stretching for miles on end. The sand was so clean and white that it could have been mistaken for snow, while the cerulean ocean thrust wave upon wave against the shoreline. Palm trees swayed in the warm breeze, tall grasses protruded from the sand, and various wild fruit trees produced a large selection of edible goods that were ripe for the picking. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, allowing for the sun to beam both its light and heat upon the undisturbed paradise.</p>
<p>Naturally, the Servants came prepared to deal with such balmy weather. Everyone was clothed in swimsuits, although not everyone was particularly excited about this prospect. Connla was most especially nervous about wearing a bathing suit since she never wore one before, and was appalled by how much skin she would show off. This greatly upset her due to her countless scars, and she was most scared of Gilgamesh and Ozymandias being offended by the sight of them. Nevertheless, Gilgamesh was insistent on her accompanying him as his retainer, so she didn’t have much choice but to go along with it. Of course, both kings promised that they would not be bothered by her injuries, and everyone else make the same assurances, which served to boost her confidence a bit.</p>
<p>This was where Connla found herself. She had been caught up in the rush of preparing for this vacation that the realization was only dawning upon her just now. She, Emiya Archer and Boudica were all on barbecue duty this afternoon, with Connla responsible for cooking dozens of corn on the cob and other grilled vegetables. She still looked rather nervous ever since Gilgamesh showed her a swimsuit of his choice and forced her to put it on, and the other two could tell by her quiet demeanor.</p>
<p>Her attire consisted of a charming one-piece black swimsuit, a pair of sandals, and a small Hawaiian shirt that was modeled after the one Cuchulainn Lancer sometimes wore. Sadly, the numerous markings on her arms and legs were fully visible for anyone to see, along with the tiny <em>mitsudomoe</em> tattoo on her collarbone that represented her three geasa.</p>
<p>As Connla turned one of the corn, Emiya leaned in over her and said, “Mm, those smell quite nice. It won’t be long before Boudica and I finish up, so get those on a plate as soon as you can. I can already hear Jack and Nursery bugging the others about when lunch will be ready.”</p>
<p>“Mm,” she nodded and did so, refusing to look up at him.</p>
<p>“What’s the matter? Still upset about showing your scars?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing to worry about. Sure, most of us might not get along, but I can guarantee that you’re in the company of friends. No one will belittle you, unless they don’t mind having an arrow shot in their back.”</p>
<p>“O-Okay…” Connla murmured as she set the vegetables on a tray.</p>
<p>Boudica called out from her barbecue, “The chicken skewers are ready! How are the steaks and burgers coming along?”</p>
<p>“Just about done. Get your stuff out first,” Emiya replied.</p>
<p>“Got it!”</p>
<p>The red-haired Goddess of Victory eagerly took her food to the table they had set up for communal dining on the beach. She was clad in a simply white bikini that showed off a decent amount of cleavage and skin on her buttocks. Sakata Kintoki approaching the other two as they finished their grilling, did a quick glance at Boudica, then grumbled, “I know it’s hot, but can’t she practice even a modicum of decency? There are kids running around, after all.”</p>
<p>The blonde-haired Berserker grinned at Emiya and proclaimed, “Ooooowhee, those smell mighty golden! I’m callin’ dibs on the medium-rare steaks!”</p>
<p>“That’s if you can beat Proto to them,” the Archer muttered, gesturing toward the ‘young’ version of Cuchulainn as he played volleyball with Jack and Nursery.</p>
<p>“Aw, not to worry, boss. If it comes down to it, we can always kill another Demon Boar.”</p>
<p>“Geez. Do you think I live in front of the grill or something? These ones already took long enough to cook.”</p>
<p>“Then maybe a chimera?”</p>
<p>“Proto will yell about how there might be dog meat mixed in there. You know he’s not allowed to eat it.”</p>
<p>“Oh, right. Say, I know! How about those Hermit Crabs that keep harassing us? I bet we could have a clam bake one of these days!”</p>
<p>Emiya raised an eyebrow. “A clam bake, huh? Not a bad idea, actually.”</p>
<p>Kintoki glanced at Connla’s plate and noticed some skewered green vegetables she had set aside. He asked her, “What are those supposed to be?”</p>
<p>“Brussel sprouts.”</p>
<p>“Eh? Why did you make those? You know no one is going to eat them!”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, they’re for me.”</p>
<p>“Seriously? You actually <em>like</em> them?”</p>
<p>“Of course I do. That bitter, nutty taste is to die for.”</p>
<p>Kintoki shuddered, “Good grief. If I ate one of those, I’d be doing a different kind of dying. In what conceivable way did anyone figure out those ugly things are edible? Same goes for asparagus, beans, spinach and mushrooms.”</p>
<p>Connla shrugged and said, “Sometimes, people had to make do with what they could find.”</p>
<p>“Boy, it’d suck to be one of the ancient people who had to figure this stuff out.”</p>
<p>“Quit bellyaching,” Emiya retorted. “The kid’s got low enough self-esteem with her appearance without you butting in on her epicurean tastes.”</p>
<p>“Hey, I wasn’t picking on her,” Kintoki said, then snatched an ear of corn and munched it without any care of how sloppy he was. “Besides, it’s not like I hate <em>all</em> vegetables. Take corn for instance. It’s one of my top favorites.”</p>
<p>“Because they’re supposed to be sweet?” Connla asked.</p>
<p>“That, and they’re <em>golden</em>! How can you go wrong with a vegetable that is as dazzling as this!?”</p>
<p>“So you wouldn’t have a problem with yellow beans or bell peppers?”</p>
<p>“Ah… Well, uh…”</p>
<p>Emiya placed his hand on her shoulder and muttered, “Give it up. He’s the complete opposite of you – a kid in an adult’s body.”</p>
<p>“So what if I am!?” Kintoki blurted. “If I don’t like something, I’m going to say it as loud and clear as a booming thunderclap!”</p>
<p>“Fine, fine, I get it. If you’re not going to help us, then could you make some space already? We need to bring this stuff out now.”</p>
<p>As the Archer said this, Connla put the last corn on the plate and attempted to lift it off the table. It turned out to be much heavier than she anticipated, and she stumbled a bit from the sudden weight. Kintoki kneeled down to support her, then said, “Why don’t you let Big Bro handle this? Wouldn’t want to spoil all of this nice food because you were trying too hard.”</p>
<p>“If you don’t mind,” she murmured sheepishly and passed the plate to him.</p>
<p>“Leave it to me!”</p>
<p>The trio brought everything over to the communal table. Jack, Nursery and Cuchulainn Prototype were already eating the chicken skewers that Boudica cooked. At a side table, Jing Ke poured glasses of juice and alcohol, frequently pausing to take sips of sake from her cup. She wore a black one-piece that resembled a china dress except there was no skirt, and the top split around her navel and cleavage before converging back at her neckline like a haltertop. As Jing Ke was about to drink the contents of a beer mug, she felt something hard hit the back of her head, causing her to spill beer all over herself.</p>
<p>“Three times!” Florence Nightingale suddenly shouted from behind, tightly gripping the megaphone she just smacked the assassin with. “I’ve already told you <em>three times</em> to stop drinking so much alcohol! Do you not have any common sense!?”</p>
<p>“Damn it, that hurt,” Jing Ke growled and rubbed her head. “And I keep asking you what the problem is. I’m a Servant, so no amount of booze is going to affect me.”</p>
<p>“That’s not the issue! There are children running around here! Do you have any idea how much of a nightmare it will be for me if I have to treat future generations of their liver problems because they were inspired by your bad behavior!? You have to understand the dangers you are exposing those young minds to!” Nightingale objected, flailing her arm about so hard that it caused her cleavage to wiggle beneath the garish yellow bikini she wore. The garment was so small that it showed off a copious amount of the underside of her breasts, along with her midriff and legs.</p>
<p>“If anyone is a danger around here, it’s you! I know you’re supposed to be on lifeguard duty, but what kind of flashy outfit is that!? I’m worried that the kids will be inspired to dress like you, and then they’ll attract all sorts of bad company and contract STDs or something!”</p>
<p>“Preposterous! These colors I wear are loud on purpose! Anyone who is drowning should be able to see me coming from a mile away!”</p>
<p>Under his breath, Emiya whispered, “Drowning in water or lust?”</p>
<p>Jing Ke loudly retorted, “I don’t have an issue with the colors. It’s the <em>design</em>!”</p>
<p>Nightingale shrugged. “It cannot be helped. I simply picked what was available and adapted to the situation.”</p>
<p>The assassin laughed, then took another swig of beer. “’Adapted’, my ass.”</p>
<p>The microphone screeched as Nightingale brought it to the killer’s ear and screamed, <strong><em>“NO DRINKING IN FRONT OF THE KIDS!”</em></strong></p>
<p>“Gah!? Damn it, lady! Are you trying to make me deaf on purpose!?”</p>
<p>Jack and Nursery giggled at the debacle the two women were causing, while Connla skulked behind Kintoki to avoid getting involved. Then another female Servant’s soothing voice broke through the cacophony as she urged, “Come on now, we’re supposed to be having fun, aren’t we? You should learn to loosen up a bit, Florence.”</p>
<p>Behind then, Mata Hari approached while wearing a dancing outfit akin to what she normally wore in battle, except this one was <em>far</em> more ridiculous and improbable in design. It consisted solely of the bottom portion of an orange swimsuit held up by extraneous strings that connected to the small pieces of fabric that covered her voluptuous breasts, allowing for the majority of her thighs to be dangerously exposed. A long translucent cape flowed from her waist and furled over her legs. This was a type of swimsuit unofficially dubbed a <em>shibarikini</em>, or ‘bondage bikini’, since the strings resembled how rope would be tied around someone in a <em>shibari</em> position.</p>
<p>“Ugh…” Jing Ke groaned, then whispered to Nightingale, “If you want to lecture anyone on being a danger to society, it’s her.”</p>
<p>“Believe me, I will do so later,” the nurse muttered in a rare moment of agreement.</p>
<p>Mata Hari took two cocktails as she wondered curiously, “Oh my. Is something the matter? You two became quiet all of a sudden.”</p>
<p>Kintoki frowned hard and said, “Boy, I’m glad Boss Raikou isn’t around to see this.”</p>
<p>Connla munched on a skewer of brussel sprouts as she asked, “Why do you say that?”</p>
<p>“She’d go on an epic rant about the lack of decency and morals, or something like that. She’s been fascinated with those old <em>sukeban</em> movies lately, especially since she’s got a knack for commanding a group of dangerous folks like myself. Who knows how’d she react if she saw those four ladies gallivanting in such skimpy attire in front of you kids? I can golden guarantee you that it wouldn’t end well for anyone involved.”</p>
<p>“Why didn’t she come with us anyway?”</p>
<p>“Because I didn’t want her to know! If either she or Shuten found out about this, no one would be having fun anymore! It’d be a disaster of golden proportions!”</p>
<p>“I suppose so.”</p>
<p>Mata Hari leaned over Connla so much that her breasts literally smothered the bewildered little girl’s head as she reached for some food and said, “Pardon the intrusion. Gilgamesh and Ozymandias wanted me to grab some snacks for them after I finished performing.”</p>
<p>“N-No problem…”</p>
<p>“Whoa. Talk about bold,” Emiya whispered to Cuchulainn.</p>
<p>“No kidding,” the blue-haired fellow murmured. “If it was the other Lancer, he’d be super jealous right now.”</p>
<p>“Speaking of which, why aren’t you behaving the same way? You’re supposed to be the same Heroic Spirit, right?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I’m the ‘young’ Cuchulainn who enjoys fighting and training more than anything. Sure, I don’t have a problem with women, but they’re not the first thing on my mind unlike with that idiot or his Caster self.”</p>
<p>“True enough. I suppose if I’m going to be stuck with any Cuchulainn, it would be with you.”</p>
<p>“Just be sure not to provoke me, or I might get as nasty as them.”</p>
<p>“I will keep that in mind.”</p>
<p>While everything was going on around her, Connla kept gazing at the sun periodically. The chatter faded to background noise as Ozymandias’ words kept echoing in her mind. She kept staring at the orb of intense light hanging high in the clear blue sky, constantly pondering the meaning behind his prophetic statement:</p>
<p>
  <em>“Look to the sun for inspiration.”</em>
</p>
<p>She absent-mindedly munched on her food. She still couldn’t figure out why he would say such a thing, especially since she didn’t have a particular affinity for the sun. Even so, he said that the sun shone bright within her, so for someone as esteemed as him to claim she had a connection with the astral body had to amount to something. Connla’s eyes became heavy, and she seemed slightly dizzy as she quietly sat there in a limp posture.</p>
<p>Something cool was suddenly damped on her forehead, and she looked up to see that Nightingale had applied a wet cloth to her face. The nurse uttered, “You don’t appear well. It seems you are suffering from symptoms of hyperthermia. You must be more sensitive to hotter temperatures like this than most people are.”</p>
<p>“Heat stroke?” Mata Hari murmured. “Goodness, that’s not pleasant. Why don’t you go lie down for a bit, honey? You’ve been working nonstop ever since this morning.”</p>
<p>Nursery added, “She’s right. You haven’t even played with Jack and I yet because you were so busy attending to Goldie’s whims.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine. L-Lord Gilgamesh wanted me to… wait, what was it again…?” Connla tried to object, but was simply too confused to remember what it was the king told her to do earlier.</p>
<p>Mata Hari held the girl’s shoulder and said, “Don’t stress yourself out. I’ll let him know that you’re resting. If he needs anything, I’ll deal with it. Nitocris is there to help too, although she’s more concerned with keeping Ozy happy.”</p>
<p>“My apologies.”</p>
<p>Jack and Nursery watched in concern as Nightingale carried their exhausted friend back to the makeshift cabin. Before the Servants left for this vacation, Da Vinci had already constructed an advanced, portable facility which the Servants could literally ‘pop up’ and use for living accommodations since they planned on staying here for a while. It was certainly state-of-the-art, since it could be set close to the beach and provided enough space for everyone to sleep in. Furthermore, its design was reminiscent of a quaint summer cottage while still providing futuristic services like refrigeration, air conditioning, chairs that could cool their users’ backsides, and a large mana reactor for stabilizing the Servants’ Spirit Origins while Ritsuka wasn’t around.</p>
<p>Nightingale laid Connla on one of the cooling chairs and covered her sweltering body beneath layers of cold wet towels to cool her down. The girl fell asleep soon after, and the nurse tucked Mini-Cu beneath her arm as a finishing touch. The doll remained inside the cabin the whole time, uninterested in mingling with the others and preferring to take nice long naps by himself. However, he woke up immediately when he saw that something was wrong with Connla.</p>
<p>“Damn it,” he grumbled sourly. “I told her numerous times not to strain herself, and what does she do? Get bloody heat stroke, for crying out loud.”</p>
<p>“If you want to get angry with anyone, it’s Gilgamesh. He’s the one milking her dry of her servitude,” Nightingale said.</p>
<p>“I knew it. That bastard can’t even be bothered to cut his own meat. Hasn’t he heard of the concept of child slavery?”</p>
<p>“Well that’s your problem, not mine. I’m simply here to make sure her condition doesn’t get any worse. I’ll try to talk to Gilgamesh myself, but I can’t promise that my attempt at convincing him won’t wind up sending him to the ICU.”</p>
<p>“Heh heh. That would be a sight to behold,” Mini-Cu chuckled. “Don’t worry about the kid. I’ll look after her for now.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.”</p><hr/>
<p>It was approaching 7:30 PM when Connla woke up from her fever nap. She couldn’t initially remember why she was sitting inside the cabin, but soon realized that she had passed out during lunch. She felt a lot better now thanks to the cooling chair and wet towels, and she looked around to see if anyone else was present. No one other than Mini-Cu was, although through the front window, she spotted Nursery using her magic to start a bonfire, and an elated Jack immediately started roasting marshmallows on a stick so they could make s’mores.</p>
<p>Connla yawned and shuffled off the chair, absent-mindedly dropping both the towels and Mini-Cu on the floor so she could go see what her friends were up to. She took her time getting to the beach, and the other girls noticed her approaching. Nursery ran up to her and exclaimed, “There you are! How are you feeling?”</p>
<p>“A little woozy, but I should be fine with some rest,” Connla replied.</p>
<p>“Jack and I chewed Goldie out for making you work so hard. He didn’t like what we said, so we threatened to hide all of his wine bottles all over the island and force him on a scavenger hunt. He immediately piped down and cooperated after that.”</p>
<p>“Of course he would…”</p>
<p>“Come over here. Jack and I just finished making some sweet sammies,” Nursery brought her over to the bonfire and sat her down on a large piece of old driftwood.</p>
<p>“We know you don’t like sweet things, but try the graham crackers at least,” Jack offered her some cookies. “They’re super yummy, and not sweet like the chocolate and marshmallows are.”</p>
<p>“I’ll… try…” Connla murmured, then stared intently at the confection for a long minute. Without realizing it, she started trembling.</p>
<p>Her hesitation was much too apparent to the other girls, so the Assassin asked, “What’s the matter? You look even more pale than usual.”</p>
<p>“I’m, uh… I’m not sure I can do this…”</p>
<p>“Why not? Is there a reason you dislike sugary food?”</p>
<p>“Um…”</p>
<p>Nursery sat next to Connla and asked, “Did something happen? Is it something you don’t want to tell us?”</p>
<p>The Lancer turned her gaze to the vivid setting sun, still unsure of why Ozymandias wanted her to think about it so much. Soon, she gave up and handed the cookie back to Nursery while murmuring, “I’m sorry. I just can’t do it.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay. Don’t force yourself if you don’t want to.”</p>
<p>“Even so, I feel like I’m ruining this fun atmosphere with my moodiness. It’s still much too difficult for me to relax and have fun when I don’t even understand the concept in the first place.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it. A lot has happened to you. Your mom was terrible to you, your dad did some awful things, and you have so much going on around you. Just know that Jack and I are here to help you out if you need anything. Take it slow and learn at your own pace, got it?”</p>
<p>“Mm.”</p>
<p>Jack sat on the other side of the driftwood and asked, “I’m super curious to know what happened though. Did you have a bad experience with candy before?”</p>
<p>“Come now, Jack!” Nursery blurted. “It’s not nice to pry into other people’s pasts like that!”</p>
<p>Connla shook her head and said, “No, it’s fine. It’s not a nice story, but it might help if you two knew. Of course, it’s all because of Mother’s influence.”</p>
<p>“I knew it! That awful woman did something to you, didn’t she!?”</p>
<p>“Yes. One day, she found me going through her barrel of apples. I was really just organizing them by type, but because I didn’t ask her permission first, she thought I was stealing some for myself. So she sat me down at the table and offered one to me, which I ate. Then she gave me another one, and I ate that one too. Then another, and another, and another, and another. She told me I had to eat everything she gave me, even if my stomach was terribly sore.”</p>
<p>“So she force-fed you tons of apples in one sitting!?” Jack yelped.</p>
<p>“Not just apples. She gave me juice, berries, and honeycomb as well. By the time she let me go to bed, I had already vomited numerous times on the floor and was crying for mercy. Of course, she’d kick me each time I begged, but it was impossible for me to keep it all down. I think I was incapacitated for two full weeks after that, but Mother took off on a hunting excursion during that time anyway.”</p>
<p>“That’s terrible! Force-feeding <em>and</em> neglect! Are you sure we’re even talking about a human being anymore!? Your mom sounds like one of those trolls who live under the bridge and are only good for causing trouble!” Nursery cried out.</p>
<p>Connla stared down at her shivering hands on her lap. Telling that tale had taken up a lot of her energy, so she felt way more exhausted than usual. After a moment, she murmured, “Let’s not talk about it anymore. I don’t want to rain on this party any more than I already have.”</p>
<p>“All right. Jack and I won’t tell anyone else about it unless you say we can. Isn’t that right, Jack?”</p>
<p>“Yeah!” the irate Assassin agreed. “At the very least, Goldie will be grossed out if he heard about it! And we promise not to offer any more sweets to you, okay? We don’t want you to have those bad memories haunt you all the time.”</p>
<p>“Thanks,” Connla nodded.</p>
<p>“Forget about all of this and tell us an actual story instead!”</p>
<p>“An actual story?”</p>
<p>“Nursery’s already told me a bunch of the same old fairy tales! I wanna hear something different!”</p>
<p>Connla mumbled to herself as she once again turned her eyes toward the bright red setting sun, which was nearly cloaked by the thick clouds rolling in. Ozymandias’ advice kept resurfacing as she took in the beautiful change of colors in the sky.</p>
<p>
  <em>Inspiration from the sun. The sun… the sun…</em>
</p>
<p>That was when she had an epiphany as she uttered a single word:</p>
<p>“Grandfather.”</p>
<p>Nursery perked up and asked, “What did you say?”</p>
<p>Connla glanced at her friends and said, “Maybe I can tell you guys about my grandfather.”</p>
<p>“Is he famous or something?”</p>
<p>“Have you ever heard of the Celtic God of Light and the Sun, Lugh? He’s one of the most prominent gods in Celtic mythology.”</p>
<p>“Hmm… A little bit. Something about how there’s a harvest festival in Ireland named after him.”</p>
<p>“Yes, the Lughnasadh, or what we call Lunasa in modern terms. Grandfather’s tale is quite notorious throughout the region.”</p>
<p>“Ooh, tell us more!” Jack exclaimed and bounced about impatiently. “I wanna know about your famous grandpa!”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Connla nodded, then explained, “First of all, Lugh was the son of Cian, a member of the Tuatha De Danann.”</p>
<p>“Tuatha De-what now?”</p>
<p>“Think of it as the Celtic pantheon of gods, like how the Greeks and Romans have their own pantheons.”</p>
<p>“Oh, okay.”</p>
<p>“Lugh’s mother was Ethniu, the daughter of the Fomorian king Balor. The Fomorians were a race of malicious supernatural deities that caused havoc and destruction wherever they went. Think of them as the <em>jotnar</em> of Norse mythology. Balor was especially tyrannical in his rule, and the Fomorians always opposed the Tuatha De Danann. You could liken the Tuatha’s deities as representing ‘good’ forces like life, light and creation, while the Fomorians’ gods represent ‘bad’ forces like chaos, destruction, blight, drought and such.”</p>
<p>“So your grandpa is the child of two people from opposite sides of some ancient war between gods?”</p>
<p>“Precisely. He was the product of a royal intermarriage between Cian and Ethniu. I don’t really know the details, but I believe it was more of a strategic move rather than out of any sort of love between them. Anyway, Cian gave Lugh to Tailtiu, an agriculture goddess, and she raised him as a foster mother so that Balor wouldn’t hunt him down. Then when Lugh grew up, he approached the Tuatha and implored to be inducted into their ranks. He was repeatedly turned down because they already had a member who demonstrated a skill that he possessed. He then asked if they had someone who could do all of them simultaneously, and they had to give up and let him in. That’s why Lugh is known as ‘One Equally Skilled In Many Arts’, and it’s thanks to him that it’s customary for Celtic warriors to possess multiple skillsets rather than just one or two.”</p>
<p>Nursery clapped her hands together and beamed, “So that’s why you dabble in so many different skills! You’re mimicking your grandfather, aren’t you!?”</p>
<p>“W-Well, it’s more because it was my teacher’s style to educate her pupils in multiple arts,” Connla stammered. “I suppose I picked up her lessons quickly because of Grandfather though.”</p>
<p>“That’s amazing! So what did Lugh do next?”</p>
<p>“It’s not easy to say that Lugh was quite as righteous as his moniker ‘the God of Light’ would imply. The stuff he did was not as pleasant as you would think.”</p>
<p>“That’s okay. I could probably count the number of ‘nice’ gods out there on one hand.”</p>
<p>“Good point. So Lugh was allowed into the Tuatha, but then his father Cian was killed by the three sons of his mortal enemy Tuireann. They kept trying to bury Cian, but the earth kept spitting his body back out, so it was impossible for them to cover up the crime and they were forced to admit to Lugh that they murdered his father. All of them agreed that death would be the only acceptable sentence, so he tasked them with completing a series of impossible quests. They accomplished all except the last one, which would surely kill them. Tuireann begged Lugh to forgive them, but he demanded that they continue their adventure, and they perished in the end. Tuireann grieved over his sons’ deaths so much that he wound up dying himself.”</p>
<p>Jack pouted, “That totally sounds like something an Avenger Servant would do.”</p>
<p>“Well, a crime is a crime, and a sentence must be carried out, no matter what culture you’re dealing with.”</p>
<p>“I guess so…”</p>
<p>Connla poked a stick into the bonfire to rekindle it, then continued, “Following that was a massive clash between the Tuatha and the Fomorians in the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh. Remember how I said that Cian gave Lugh to Tailtiu for adoption? That’s because the Fomorian king Balor heard a prophecy that his grandson would be the one to kill him. He had tried to keep his daughter Ethniu locked up, but Cian impregnated her with Lugh and took the child away before Balor could find out. So now, Lugh was a prominent member of the Tuatha who did battle against Balor.</p>
<p>“It’s said that Balor was a one-eyed giant who could cause untold amounts of destruction should he ever open his eye. However, the moment that eye was opened, Lugh hurled a sling-stone through it with such tremendous force that it not only decimated Balor, but also a good portion of the Fomorian army behind him. Following their victory, Lugh found the half-Fomorian king Bres alone and unprotected in the battlefield. Bres begged to be spared in exchange for fulfilling a promise, like the cows of Ireland would always produce milk, or that there would be four harvests a year instead of one. Lugh spared Bres on the condition that he teach the Tuatha vital agriculture skills.</p>
<p>“After Bres taught all he could, Lugh <em>then</em> had him killed during the Assembly of Tailtiu, or what you could call the Celtic Olympics that Lugh assembled in honor of his foster mother. Lugh had 300 wooden cows stuffed full with a poisonous fluid and offered them to Bres to drink. Since Bres was obligated to not refuse hospitality, he drank it all without pause, and inevitably died.”</p>
<p>“Well that wasn’t very nice,” Nursery grumbled. “Why would Lugh kill someone who surrendered so easily?”</p>
<p>Connla gazed up at the darkening sky, growing ever thicker with more grey clouds, and surmised, “My guess is because Bres was half-Fomorian, and was known as an incompetent king who favored the Fomorians over the Tuatha. Due to a loophole regarding the god Nuadha, Bres was once the king of the Tuatha and made them work like slaves for the Fomorians, so maybe this was Lugh’s way of getting payback. Or perhaps Bres could have resurfaced as a threat in the future, so Lugh wanted to eliminate that possibility.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I see. So Bres was a total jerk towards the Tuatha, yet turned himself in to Lugh like a coward when Balor was killed.”</p>
<p>“Yes. Bres was given royal authority, and he essentially squandered it to hide his own inadequacies.”</p>
<p>“Okay, gotcha.”</p>
<p>“Now we come to Lugh’s death. One of his wives had an affair with another man, and Lugh had the suitor killed out of revenge. However, the three sons born from the affair speared Lugh’s foot so he couldn’t move, then drowned him in a lake.”</p>
<p>Nursery folded her arms and remarked, “Boy, Lugh has a lot of bad luck when it comes to dealing with three sons of an enemy.”</p>
<p>“I guess so. I’m not entirely sure what happened afterward, but I would assume that Lugh achieved divinity and ascended as an important god of Celtic myth. I don’t know how he would have gotten Cuchulainn’s mother Deichtine pregnant when he was already dead otherwise. Some sources claim that Cuchulainn is actually a reincarnation of Lugh, but no one can say for sure. The only time Lugh actually appeared in the Ulster Cycle was to heal Cuchulainn after he fought a series of grueling battles during the Cattle Raid of Cooley. After that, Lugh essentially disappeared from the world.”</p>
<p>“So why is he known as a sun god if he didn’t have anything to do with the sun?” Jack wondered.</p>
<p>“Oh, I guess I didn’t mention this,” Connla said. “The battle between Balor and Lugh is said to symbolize the change between the old solar calendar, represented by Balor, and the new solar calendar, which Lugh represents. Not only that, Lugh oversees the summer harvest with his great light, so he’s assumed to represent the sun. That’s what the Lunasa festival is all about – to celebrate the harvest that Lugh protects from the evil gods so that mankind can enjoy it.”</p>
<p>“So Lugh was a bad god to other gods, but a good god to humans.”</p>
<p>“Well…” the Lancer stammered, not expecting to hear the Assassin say such a thing so bluntly. “I don’t know what he’s like with humans, but there’s one thing I’m fairly certain of - no matter what came to pass, Lugh always put his family first.”</p>
<p>As she pondered this answer, the setting sun was completely obscured by the encroaching night and the looming clouds that rapidly rolled in, indicating that a strong storm was approaching.</p>
<p>“Oh, now that you mention it,” Nursery murmured in contemplation, “he really did! He named a festival after his foster mom, avenged his murdered dad, and healed his son! He might have been awful to his enemies, but he was incredibly caring with his family!”</p>
<p>“Hey, Connla!” Jack exclaimed. “What do you think Lugh would have been like if you two ever met!?”</p>
<p>“M-Me and Grandfather?” Connla blurted in surprise. The thought had never occurred to her until now, and the question left her genuinely baffled. “I… don’t really know. By the time I was born, the Tuatha and Fomorians had all but disappeared from the world.”</p>
<p>“Even so, what do you think?”</p>
<p>The Lancer shook her head. “I really don’t want to make any assumptions. For all I know, my existence might have been too insignificant for him to even notice.”</p>
<p>“There you go again, calling yourself weak. I don’t like that! You’re a Heroic Spirit just as much as Nursery and I are! That means you did <em>something</em> amazing, right!?”</p>
<p>“Well, I guess.”</p>
<p>Nursery interrupted them by exclaiming, “You really shouldn’t badger her like that, Jack. If she doesn’t know, she doesn’t know, and that’s that.”</p>
<p>“Aww. I really wanted to know,” Jack whined, then relented, “But that’s okay.”</p>
<p>Connla murmured, “Sorry about that.”</p>
<p>Right as she said this, several large droplets of rain pounded their heads and shoulders. They were so engrossed in Connla’s tale that only now did they realize how terrible the weather had gotten. Nursery shot to her feet and barked, “Wow, this looks bad! I don’t wanna get my doll joints soaked!”</p>
<p>“We better get back inside quickly!” Connla exclaimed. Suddenly, her voice was drowned out when a massive gust of wind blew across the beach. Tiny particles of sand blasted against their skin, and the wind speed increased so dramatically that all of them lost their footing. Connla dropped to her knees and shouted, “Stay low, you two! If we crawl like this, we should be able to make it back!”</p>
<p>“Waaah, help meee~eee!” Jack squealed.</p>
<p>Nursery held on to the driftwood and squealed, “I can’t move like this! I’m gonna get blown away!”</p>
<p>The girls, unable to fight against this freak storm, could only watch helplessly as the violent waves splashed so far inland that the water extinguished the bonfire in one sweep. Then, they stared up at the sky… or rather, <em>at the dark tsunami that blocked out their view of the sky!</em> Connla’s eyes narrowed into horrified dots as she breathed, “Oh, god…”</p>
<p>Before they knew what happened, the gigantic tidal wave crashed down upon them. For those few brief minutes, the ocean threatened to devour the entire shoreline in one hearty gulp. Fortunately, the island was already used to being pummeled like this, so it remained steadfast in its defense as the water continuously encroached, receded, encroached, and receded in the familiar rhythm. However, while the Servants’ cabin remained intact despite being so close to the water, the same could not be said for the three child Servants.</p>
<p>All of them had disappeared without any sign that they had been on the beach just five minutes ago.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Class Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 10: Class Change</strong>
</p><p>Back inside the cabin, Mini-Cu woke up and realized he was lying on his side on the floor, with the cooling blanket haphazardly draped over him. He shoved it aside before causing the doll to glow red, and Cuchulainn Alter re-emerged in proper Servant form. After stretching for a moment, he glanced down at the chair which Connla had been resting in previously. Since he had been fast asleep for most of the day, he failed to hear her wake up and depart earlier that evening.</p><p>“Wonder where she took off to,” he mumbled to himself and investigated the technologically advanced cottage. He looked in every room carefully, but couldn’t find her anywhere. He grew increasingly concerned as he heard the fierce pitter-patter of rain slamming against the metallic walls outside. He actually didn’t spot any of the other Servants either, so he had no idea where everyone was.</p><p>Soon though, Cuchulainn heard the door whir open followed by multiple pairs of harried footsteps barging into the front room. Then he heard Cuchulainn Prototype bark aloud, “Whew, that was some freak storm!”</p><p>“I’ll go get some towels so we can dry off,” Boudica offered as she set a large basket of wild berries on the table and headed for the washroom.</p><p>Emiya ran his fingers through his damp hair and grumbled, “Damn it. If I knew this was going to happen, I would have asked Da Vinci to make us some kind of weather forecasting device.”</p><p>“It’s still very strange though,” Jing Ke pondered, having sobered up since the afternoon’s events. “I have seen plenty of storms, whether it was alive or as a Servant, and never have I seen clouds roll in so quickly.”</p><p>Nightingale nodded. “Agreed. No matter which way you look at it, this is truly unnatural weather even for this area.”</p><p>Kintoki didn’t seem terribly bothered as he exclaimed, “Phew! Kinda sucks to be stuck like this, but hey, at least we’ll get to watch a mighty fine show of booming thunder and searing white-hot lightning! Storm watching should always be part of any good summer memory!”</p><p>“You might be amused by such a dangerous event, but I cannot say the same for our royal patrons.”</p><p>At the rear of the group, Mata Hari and Nitocris were already drying off Gilgamesh and Ozymandias respectively, and both kings looked incredibly grumpy. Neither of them wanted to share in Kintoki’s exuberance after being so rudely drenched by terrible amounts of rain. The others were afraid that if they said even the most innocent thing to them, they would wind up being victim to either Gate of Babylon or Ramesseum Tentyris in a heartbeat. Thus, everyone other than Mata Hari and Nitocris maintained their distance and opted to wait until the kings’ collective moods improved before attempting to speak with them.</p><p>Cuchulainn Alter stared at everyone for a bit, then asked, “Where the hell were all of you gone?”</p><p>“Just went out to scavenge for food,” Emiya told him. “Proto, Kintoki and I took care of the hunting, Nightingale and Jing Ke portioned the meat, while Boudica and Mata Hari picked a bunch of fruit. The three royals just stood around and did nothing, but that’s to be expected.”</p><p>“Never thought I’d find a different use for my knife than killing,” Jing Ke grinned as she set the meat inside the large walk-in fridge. “Perhaps I should pursue a career in butchery?”</p><p>“That’d be a good idea. With your skills, you’d make for an excellent addition to the galley.”</p><p>“Like I give a shit about any of that,” Alter muttered, then asked everyone, “Have any of you seen Connla around?”</p><p>Proto raised an eyebrow. “She’s not with you? Nightingale said you were looking after her.”</p><p>“I guess she ran off somewhere while I was taking my nap.”</p><p>“Good grief, man, how much sleep do you need anyway? Don’t tell me you slept through those massive tsunamis that crashed nearby.”</p><p>“So what if I did? That still doesn’t answer my question.”</p><p>“Tch. Lazy bastard. Well I can tell you that she didn’t come with any of us.”</p><p>Boudica returned with some towels, and she happened to overhear the conversation. Her expression became one of concern as she wondered, “Connla’s not here either?”</p><p>“’Either’? What do you mean?” Kintoki asked.</p><p>“I don’t see Nursery or Jack anywhere at all. If they knew this storm was coming, they would have rushed back here immediately.”</p><p>“Last I checked, they were still playing at the beach. Maybe Connla went to see them while we were out?”</p><p>“Hey, are you kidding me!?” Nightingale barked, appearing increasingly incredulous over what she was hearing. “Where on earth could the children have run off to during such a vicious storm!? I refuse to stand here and flap my jaw when I could be out searching for them!”</p><p>She attempted to run back outside, but Jing Ke wrapped her arms beneath Nightingale’s armpits and shouted, “Are you insane!? If you go back out there now, the wind is going to blow you away!”</p><p>“I don’t care! I’m going find them come hell or high water!”</p><p>“Gh! S-Stop it already-!” the assassin grunted, unable to restrain the nurse much longer. Suddenly, Nightingale exhaled a loud sigh and slumped to the ground, clearly unconscious for some reason.</p><p>“Oh, do pardon me,” Mata Hari apologized in her cheerful tone as she gracefully stood on one foot. “I figured I should do something to stop her, so I sort of smashed my heel into her gut. Hopefully that was enough to calm her down.”</p><p>Gilgamesh chuckled. “I will admit, watching the woman flounder about hopelessly in such torrential weather would have made for quite the spectacle, but even I know how pointless her struggling would have been. As I do not care for my subjects to waste their energy on fruitless endeavors, your concussive convincing has proven to be most satisfactory, Courtesan of Espionage.”</p><p>“I am obliged to agree with both the lady spy’s initiative and the would-be assassin’s assertion about this storm being unnatural,” Ozymandias said. “Did you feel it as well, Golden King? The turbulent sensation of excess mana swirling around us like a typhoon?”</p><p>“I was wondering when you would bring that point up, Sun King. I was beginning to fear that your senses had grown dull in this ludicrously bland modern era.”</p><p>“Ha ha ha! Never! My perception of the world around me shall never falter!”</p><p>Alter interrupted them by snapping, “Glad to see you two are on the same page. Now mind filling in the rest of the class as to what the hell is going on here?”</p><p>“Hmph! It’s rather simple, actually,” the pharaoh replied, his broad smile refusing to settle despite the gloomy situation they were in. “Due to our higher Divinity, the Golden King and I can detect when there are unnatural patterns in the flow of mana, which can then potentially cause weather disturbances like this one. What we have been thrust into is a genuine anomaly. In other words, there is an external factor causing the mana lingering throughout all of Okeanos to spiral out of control.”</p><p>Emiya narrowed his eyes and asked, “Could it be a residual effect of the Third Singularity? Or is this a new incident that needs to be resolved?”</p><p>“I cannot ascertain the answer at this time, but I assure you that we are experiencing a most bizarre event that world history will never come to record.”</p><p>“So this is all one big unknown…”</p><p>“Never mind that!” Proto shouted angrily and thrust his arm out. “The kids! What about the kids!? They’re still out there, you know!”</p><p>Boudica added, “That’s right! If we don’t do something, they could be-!”</p><p>“Silence!” Nitocris commanded. “I will not tolerate any interruption to Lord Ozymandias’ judgment!”</p><p>The pharaoh then remarked, “Calm yourself, Nitocris. Regardless of my stature, I can appreciate their sentiments for the younger Servants. However, I demand that none of you venture outside at this time. Not even I can guarantee if this storm will intensify in viciousness, nor how long it will last. My intuition dictates that if any of us were foolish enough to expose ourselves to the elements while fully understanding the dangers, I am certain it would lead to unnecessary casualties.”</p><p>“Man, who died and made you god?” Kintoki grumbled.</p><p>“I already am a god in human form. Inquiring such things is the summit of-”</p><p>“I don’t care what anyone says! I’m going out there and looking for them!”</p><p>“Aw man, not you too,” Jing Ke groaned and smacked her forehead.</p><p>“Oh my,” Mata Hari crooned, and her smile had a hint of impishness to it as she blocked the blonde Berserker’s path to the entrance. “Then would you like your solar plexus to experience the full brunt of my strongest kick as well, Mr. Golden Hero?”</p><p>He grunted in dismay. Mata Hari continued, “There’s no need to be hasty. Yes, I’m worried for the children as well, but we need to be reasonable. We only made it back here because the storm had not gotten so severe yet. Even while standing here, the winds have become so violent that they could scoop up an 18-wheel truck no problem. We’re just lucky Da Vinci made this cabin to be sturdy enough to survive even record-breaking tornadoes. Those are the only reasons we’re all still alive.”</p><p>“Well yeah, but those three…”</p><p>“I trust them. If anything, I think they’re hiding in some other safe place and waiting things out. They’re not stupid enough to run around aimlessly during a storm like this.”</p><p>Gilgamesh grinned. “Looks like the spy’s intuition has struck a nerve, golden mongrel. I, for one, will not expose myself to certain death like that when there are other methods for getting in contact with them.”</p><p>“Really? How?” Boudica asked him.</p><p>“Before we departed, I commissioned Da Vinci to have the runt carry a small transceiver with her at all times. Due to her extraordinarily poor Luck stats, she has a bad habit of getting herself into some terribly unfortunate situations, and since the runt is my personal retainer, such consistent ill fortune would prove most inconvenient for me. Alas, it would appear my judgment for my servant’s safety was once again impeccable. Honestly, the runt must have some common bond with the likes of Odysseus or Karna, constantly being shoved beneath the overbearing heel of fate.”</p><p>Alter muttered, “You’re saying you have a way of contacting Connla? Why couldn’t you just get to the point already?”</p><p>“All of my words carry immeasurable weight, mad mongrel. You would be wise to listen to me instead of blotting out what you think is unimportant.”</p><p>“If you like yapping so much, then tell me this – why haven’t you tried contacting her yet?”</p><p>Gilgamesh glared at Alter for a moment. Then he folded his arms and retorted, “You think I haven’t made any attempts?”</p><p>“Wha-?”</p><p>“Even as we speak, I am sending a signal to the runt, waiting most impatiently for her to respond. The fact that she has not answered means one of two things; she either lost her transmitter, or she simply cannot reply for whatever reason.”</p><p>“Cannot reply…” Alter breathed in shock. He didn’t want to imagine what that could possibly mean.</p><p>“Unlike you, who sleeps on his duty of guarding his child, I possess the foresight necessary to counter the runt’s misfortunes.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“If you understand this, then I suggest you spare me your enmity and leave me to continue my efforts at contacting her in peace,” Gilgamesh crudely told him off and stepped into the room he chose to rest in for the night. Alter could only stand there and lower his head in shame, knowing fully well that the king was correct in his bold assertion.</p>
<hr/><p>Connla had completely blacked out right after the tsunami hit her, Nursery and Jack. The next thing she knew, she was lying on her side in a field of grass. The distinct scent of apples and cinnamon stirred her senses awake, and she gradually opened her eyes.</p><p>“Geal!” she heard her own voice cry out in surprise.</p><p>“Eh?” Connla looked up and found Cliste, her mysterious otherworldly counterpart, kneeling over her.</p><p>“Thank goodness you’re up. I was fearing that I had rescued you too late.”</p><p>“What’s going on?” the Chaldean Connla wondered and looked around, realizing she was back in Cliste’s Reality Marble inside the Kaleidoscope. “Why am I here?”</p><p>“You don’t remember? You and your friends were washed away by a huge tidal wave.”</p><p>“Oh yeah… I can’t recall much, other than seeing that huge wall of water.”</p><p>“I sensed that something was happening with you and decided to ‘tune in’ to your subconscious mind to see what was going on,” Cliste explained, then shook her head. “All I could tell was that all three of you were deep underwater, completely at the mercy of the currents. But then, something weird happened to you.”</p><p>“Something weird?”</p><p>“Yeah. I can’t really tell you what though. I just saw this brilliant flash of light overcome you, and then I was immediately ejected from your mind.”</p><p>“A light, huh?” Connla murmured in contemplation.</p><p>“Do you know anything, Geal?” Cliste asked worriedly.</p><p>“No idea. Maybe Jack or Nursery would know more. But then, what am I doing here? Why did you say you ‘rescued’ me if you were suddenly forced out of my mind?”</p><p>“Well, I wasn’t sure what was happening with your body, but I knew right away that such a traumatic event would cause your cranial Runes to trigger another Imbas Forosnai dream. As you were falling towards another world, I reached out and caught you, then brought you here and waited for you to regain consciousness.”</p><p>Connla widened her eyes in surprise. “Really? Why would you go through so much trouble for me?”</p><p>The girl in the hooded poncho pouted and retorted, “Isn’t it obvious? This is no time to be lying around and dreaming. Something major is happening to you, and you need to resolve it right away.”</p><p>The Lancer shakily stood up and stared at the section of the sky where her world was located. She exhaled a sigh, then murmured, “Something major, hm? I suppose my bad luck has come back to haunt me once more.”</p><p>“Enough of that. If you have the energy to mope, then you should instead go back and check things out.”</p><p>“Yes, you’re right. I feel bad for having to leave you so suddenly, but it looks like the situation is dire on my end.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. I’ll maintain my connection with you and watch what’s happening too. It’ll be like I’m right there with you,” Cliste smiled and nodded. Her jovial attitude quickly turned to confusion as she added, “By the way, I’m not sure if this will mean anything when you wake up, but I sensed something strange happen to your Spirit Origin.”</p><p>Connla raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“It’s hard to say. Of all our other selves I’ve witnessed, I’ve never seen this happen before. If I had to take a wild guess, I’d say that your Spirit Origin had transformed, or something like that. Maybe the mystery light that surrounded you was responsible. Again, I don’t know if that’s meaningful or anything, but take a second look at your Spirit Origin when you get back.”</p><p>“Will do,” the Chaldean Servant acknowledged, and then hopped off the edge of the island to fly back to her own unconscious body.</p>
<hr/><p>A few minutes later, Connla felt herself return to her world, and she woke up once more. This time, she was laying on her stomach in a patch of wet sand. She heard numerous droplets of water trickle and drip into puddles scattered all around her, apparently falling off of stalactites from high above. A droplet slashed against her cheek, instantly rousing her to sit up and take a look around. Her eyes needed to adjust to the darkness for a bit, but once they did, she saw that she was inside a spacious cavern comprised of glowing rock shining along the walls. The ground was covered in tons of wet sand that was dotted with seashells, starfish and pebbles, along with the aforementioned deep puddles.</p><p>“Connla!” she heard Jack’s voice nearby, and she glanced over to find both her and Nursery running back to her side. The child Assassin kneeled next to her friend and fervently asked, “Are you okay!? Did you hit your head or anything!? You’re not bleeding anywhere!?”</p><p>“No, I’m fine,” the Lancer replied. “It looks like I was the last one to come to. Do you know where we are?”</p><p>“Not a clue! We looked everywhere, but it’s all the same! There’s nothing but tunnels and sand everywhere!”</p><p>“Hmm…”</p><p>“Uuuh, I wanna go home,” Jack suddenly began to cry. “I want Mommy to hug me and say everything’s okay.”</p><p>Connla put her hand on her shoulder and implored, “Calm down. Panicking is not going to accomplish anything. Our first order of business should be to figure out where we are, and see if we can make contact with anyone.”</p><p>“Uuuh… But it’s so big and dark and scary…”</p><p>“Not to worry!” Nursery chirped, apparently unfazed by what was going on around her. She raised her arm and chanted, “Star light, star bright, make the bad night, flee with fright!”</p><p>An orb of pure light shone in her hand and illuminated the immediate vicinity, causing the seashells and glowing walls to sparkle. The vivid sight cheered Jack up somewhat as she glanced around in wonder and exclaimed, “Wow! It’s so pretty!”</p><p>“If we’re going to have an adventure, we might as well have fun with it, right?” Nursery smiled.</p><p>Connla shrugged. She wanted to dismiss the Caster’s cheerful idealism, but she knew she was trying to keep Jack calm. She opted to keep her blunt comments to herself and got up to investigate the area. Before she could take a step though, Jack suddenly exclaimed, “Connla, your swimsuit!”</p><p>“Hm? What about it?”</p><p>“It’s completely different!”</p><p>“Eh?” the Lancer blinked and glanced down at herself. Indeed, she was not wearing the black one-piece swimsuit and Hawaiian shirt from before. Now she was garbed in a white one-piece swimsuit with gradient pink lines running down the sides, along with a vibrant pink ribbon and multicolored cloth tied around her waist. Her hair was done up in a bun and hidden beneath a frilly white cover that had an artificial sunflower attached to it. Most shocking of all though…</p><p>“Your scars!” Nursery exclaimed in abject surprise. <em>“They’re gone!”</em></p><p>It was true. Connla’s skin was no longer mired with the numerous old injuries that Aife caused in her lifetime. Her flesh was perfectly clean and pale, almost blending in with the white swimsuit. The girl tensed up with fear and confusion as she uttered, “Wh-What’s going on here? Why am I…?”</p><p>Jack glanced at Nursery and asked off-handedly, “Could it because her body glowed so bright before?”</p><p>“Maybe.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Connla yelped. “What did you say happened to my body?”</p><p>Nursery faced her and explained, “I think you passed out when the tsunami hit us, but Jack and I must have stayed awake. We tried to get you and swim out of there, but we couldn’t do anything against such powerful currents. Then, all of a sudden, your entire form started to shine like a radiant sun. Somehow, you were strong enough to swim through the water like a fish, and you caught us before we were all sucked deeper underwater.”</p><p>“It was like we were flushed down a toilet!” Jack added. “Even so, you created an air bubble that allowed us to breathe. The next thing we knew, we were here.”</p><p>Connla could only stand there and listen to their story in dumbfounded silence. She couldn’t remember doing <em>any</em> of that while unconscious. Then she recalled what Connla Cliste warned her earlier, and she barked, “Oh! I need to look at my Spirit Origin!”</p><p>“Huh?” Nursery asked and approached her. “Is something wrong with it?”</p><p>“I don’t know. Let me see…”</p><p>Connla closed her eyes and concentrated on analyzing her Saint Graph for a moment. Then she let out an unexpected cry of shock that jolted the other girls’ nerves. Jack ran up to her and asked, “What’s the matter?”</p><p>“This can’t be! I’m not a Lancer anymore!”</p><p>“Are you serious!?”</p><p>“I am! My class has completely changed! W-Why is this happening!?”</p><p>Now it was Nursery’s turn to calm Connla down as she gripped the frantic girl’s shoulders and assured, “Relax and take some deep breaths.”</p><p>“Okay… Hoo haah… hoo haah…”</p><p>She took a few minutes to settle down. During this time, the Caster inspected her friend’s Saint Graph. She nodded and told Jack, “It’s true. I don’t know what’s going on, but Connla’s not a Lancer.”</p><p>“Then which class is she?” the Assassin wondered.</p><p>“I’m not sure. It’s too bright for me to see. I think it’s still in the process of changing.”</p><p>“Then she can’t fight for now?”</p><p>“I guess not. Until her class is fully established, we’re going to have to protect her while we investigate this place.”</p><p>“Hm!” Jack became increasingly determined, and her earlier anxiety vanished as she declared, “Okay then! No matter what happens, I’ll keep Connla safe!”</p><p>The former Lancer lowered her head and murmured, “I’m sorry for the trouble. I’m just much too confused to focus on fighting right now.”</p><p>“Don’t worry. You can handle the exploring for us, right?”</p><p>“Yes. Thanks to the Nevada and Denmark Singularities, I’ve got plenty of experience with being thrown into unknown places. Regardless of what has happened to me, the first thing we should do is find out where we are.”</p><p>Nursery became perplexed as she asked, “How are we going to do that?”</p><p>“By either making contact with someone else, or finding some kind of landmark.”</p><p>“Okay, then! Let’s move out!”</p><p>With their plan of action decided, the trio headed through the cavern where they believed they came from. Connla could tell which way to go due to the leftover ripples in the sand indicating where the water had pushed it from. About ten minutes later though, the walls, floor and ceiling all narrowed so much that it was impossible for them to advance any further. Connla scoured the area for a bit, then murmured, “That’s odd. I’m sure there had to have been a water current come from this way.”</p><p>“Maybe everything collapsed after we passed through here?” Nursery asked.</p><p>“Perhaps so. No choice but to backtrack then.”</p><p>They returned to their starting point and continued deeper into the unknown caverns. The spacious hollows stretched on for at least two miles with no visible changes in sight. Jack sat down on the sand and whined, “Hey, hey, when are we gonna find a place to rest? Looking at these walls and craggy rocks is getting boring!”</p><p>“Come now, we’ve only been walking for an hour,” Connla said. “I’m sure this cavern won’t go on forever. We just need to remain vigilant and keep looking.”</p><p>“But I’m so tired already!”</p><p>“Maybe you’re just more waterlogged than you realize? Taking a short break might not be a bad idea.”</p><p>While the two girls were talking, Nursery Rhyme ran over to a particular area of the wall and traced her fingers along the bedrock. She let out an unexpected giggle and exclaimed, “Hey, check this out!”</p><p>“What is it?” Jack asked as she and Connla joined her.</p><p>Nursery poked the wall, and it made a distinct indentation for a second before returning to normal. “Hee hee, look! It’s so soft and squishy!”</p><p>“Eh? Let me see,” Connla took her place and pressed her whole hand against the same spot. “You’re right, it’s not hard at all! I thought this was all stone, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. We’ve been walking on thick layers of sand, so our feet haven’t made contact with this stuff either.”</p><p>“Then what do you think it is?”</p><p>“I don’t know, other than it’s <em>not</em> rock.”</p><p>Right as Connla said this, the slimy substance started to glow a bright blue color in an X formation. The lines were thin at first, but quickly expanded in size. All of them could feel a tremendous amount of energy being emanated from this odd slashes, and the ex-Lancer screamed, <em>“Get down!”</em></p><p>They immediately dove in opposite directions and crashed onto the sand moments before the wall exploded in a flurry of raw azure energy. They coughed, then glanced up to see what had happened. Smoke and sand billowed around them, and there was a human-sized hole carved out of the wall the girls were inspecting. Most surprisingly though, the silhouette of a person could be seen as they sauntered through the mess they made and casually looked around.</p><p>“Hmmm. This looks interesting,” a woman’s voice declared calmly. Once the dust settled, the girls saw that she was a blue-eyed, blonde-haired young lady wearing a black baseball cap that allowed both her ponytail to stick out the back, as well as a large cowlick to poke through the cap’s frontside. She wore a blue muffler around her neck, a navy blue jacket, black shorts, and black lace-up boots, so she definitely was an adventurer of some sort. She wielded a long sword that shimmered a radiant azure hue, and it almost looked futuristic in nature.</p><p>“Whoa!” Jack cried out and pointed at the stranger. “Someone’s coming out!”</p><p>The woman gasped when she saw the girls, then said, “At last, I have made contact! Pardon my bluntness, but do you kids know where I might find an exit?”</p><p>“Exit?”</p><p>“Hey, slow down a little!” Nursery barked. “What are you talking about!? And who are you anyway!? You nearly carved us into shreds!”</p><p>“I don’t understand what you mean,” the woman said. “I never intended to harm anyone with that strike. If you girls were on the opposite side of the wall when I attacked, then that’s not my fault, is it?”</p><p>“Even so-!”</p><p>“Calm down, Nursery,” Connla implored, then got up and asked, “Who might you be anyway, miss?”</p><p>The lady narrowed her eyes and glared intently at her for a second. Then she replied, “I go by the code name Heroine X, although many know me as Saberkiller. You can just call me X though. Anyway, I am a Servant who exists to fervently cull the ever-increasing population of Sabers that have polluted the Throne of Heroes’ roster.”</p><p>“Oh, so you’re an Assassin?”</p><p>“No, I am a Saber among all Sabers!”</p><p>“But your Saint Graph-“</p><p>
  <em>“I am a Saber! End of discussion!”</em>
</p><p>“Um… Okay,” Connla murmured and thought, <em>She must be in self-denial or something.</em></p><p>“Pardon me for interrupting your line of inquiry,” X said, then spun her energy sword about before pointing it at the child Servant, “but it seems today’s investigation has turned up a most fascinating lead.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Although I have reluctantly relegated my hunt for Sabers as a secondary objective, I now can finally scratch that itch that I have been repressing for so long. My sword thirsts for the blood of a Saber, and it can finally be sated!”</p><p>“Eh?” the girl tilted her head curiously. “So, what does that have to do with me? I’m a Lancer.”</p><p>“No, you are most definitely a Saber! Those daggers by your sides are proof of that!”</p><p>“What?” Connla didn’t know what the bizarre Assassin was talking about until she glanced down at her waist. She failed to notice before, but attached to the vibrant ribbon belt were a pair of scabbards that sheathed twin thrusting daggers known as dirks. She wielded them in a reverse grip in both hands and stared at them in surprise. She had never seen these things before, yet they felt strangely natural in her grasp. She uttered, “So I changed to a Saber-class Servant?”</p><p>“What are you talking about? Haven’t you always been one?” X demanded.</p><p>“I already told you! I’m supposed to be a Lancer!”</p><p>“Huh. How strange. So what’s your True Name?”</p><p>“Erm… Well, that is… I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.”</p><p>“Stubborn, aren’t you? A Saber who will not divulge their name is the type of Saber I detest the most! If you really are supposed to be a hero, then tell me at once, or there will be consequences!”</p><p>“Wait, there’s an explanation for-!”</p><p>
  <em>“No excuses!”</em>
</p><p>“Ah!?” Connla squealed as X rushed in to strike her down. Her sword was immediately stopped when Jack leapt in and parried her attack.</p><p>“What do you think you’re doing, you crazy bitch!?” the child Assassin angrily raged. “No matter who you are, you’re not going to hurt my friend like that!”</p><p>The two Servants immediately got into a fierce dervish as their blades swung and thrust about. Nursery got in front of Connla and exclaimed, “Get back! You might know what your class is now, but you’re still super weakened from the transformation! Jack and I will take care of this!”</p><p>“Y-Yeah…” the confused Saber whimpered and made some distance. She looked back and discovered that the area was already covered in thick mist that Jack created. This was a Bounded Field that mimicked the infamous smog of London in the 19th and 20th centuries, allowing her to fight in the cover of darkness that she was known for. Combined with her Presence Concealment and the fact that X was a female, Jack believed that she possessed an overwhelming advantage and could murder yet another woman as she did so in life.</p><p>What she didn’t expect was that X was more than prepared to fight under these oppressive circumstances. Her sword shone bright in the darkness, illuminating at least the ground around her so that Jack would be unable to sneak up on her. Realizing this, Jack leapt back and hurled several black scalpels at her target. X deftly swung her sword about, and it produced a distinct buzzing sound with each swing as she battled the blades aside.</p><p>“Too weak! Compared to when I trained on the perpetually dark planet Trifas, this fog is nothing!” X declared and pursued Jack. She easily found the startled child’s hiding spot and rushed in to duel her.</p><p>“Hey, no fair! I’m supposed to be the sneaky one, not you!” Jack complained as she fought back with her twin swords. “Stop moving around and let me dismember you already!”</p><p>“As if! Prepare yourself!”</p><p>Faced with no other option, Jack decided to dispel the mist and vaulted backwards. X tried to chase her again, but then she felt a strong breeze overwhelm her. Although Jack would have preferred to kill X herself, she instead used the backup strategy she had planned with Nursery before to stymie the Saber-killer. The breeze emanated from Nursery after she morphed into her book form and flipped open the pages. Colorful illusions of toys, lollipops and shortcakes popped out and assailed X like a torrent. This was her primary offensive Noble Phantasm, an otherwise nameless attack that Ritsuka dubbed <em>Nursery Rhyme</em>.</p><p>“Gah!?” X gasped as her back hit against the wall. “A coordinated two-pronged attack! I don’t understand why, but I seem to have sustained extra damage! That should only be possible if an Archer gets a critical hit on me!”</p><p>“What an idiot you are!” Nursery cried out as she transformed back to her human body. “You’re an Assassin, so of course it’s going to hurt more if you take a Caster’s Noble Phantasm head-on!”</p><p>“You’re just as silver-tongued as the Venusian Dictator Caesar! I won’t fall for your blatant lies so easily though!”</p><p>“You’re even dumber than Humpty Dumpty, being so fragile yet sitting on the wall anyway!”</p><p>Just then, Jack bounced off the nearby wall and fell straight for the stunned X while shouting euphorically, “I’ve got you now!”</p><p>X raised her sword and blocked the incoming diving attack. Jack flailed her blades about in midair before hopping back to gain momentum and charging at her again. During their duel, Connla watched Jack’s movements intently, analyzing each of her friend’s movements and strikes. She got the feeling that she could do the same thing, but wasn’t sure if she should intervene since she wasn’t fully prepared for serious combat yet. Her body seemed to react to this as she fidgeted about to keep her nerves under control.</p><p>“What unruly children you are! You leave me with no choice!” X shouted as she pushed Jack away before raising her sword up high. They thought she was going to use her own Noble Phantasm, but sparks of electricity shot from the blade instead. The lightning was instantly attracted to the duo, and they screamed in agony as hundreds of volts coursed through their bodies. Connla gasped as she watched X approach the incapacitated girls. Then a second, black-colored sword appeared in her other hand.</p><p>“Now, darkness and light intertwine in the guise of a Saber!” X declared as she ran for Jack and Nursery, intent on slicing them into pieces.</p><p>“Ah… I can’t move…” Jack whimpered.</p><p>“Me neither…” Nursery said.</p><p>X was now several feet away from them as she shouted, “Cataphract Shift! Know my noble might! <strong><em>EX-!</em></strong>”</p><p><em>“I won’t let you!”</em> Connla shrieked, dashing in low toward X while twirling her body so she could swing her daggers in a circular motion. X was not prepared for this assault, and wound up having her shoulder cut through. She dropped the black sword, and it fizzled out of existence. She skidded backwards and clutched her bleeding arm. She knew she could no longer use her Noble Phantasm, and Jack and Nursery had recovered enough to fend themselves should she make another attempt.</p><p>“Not bad, Saber!” X exclaimed, then raised her other arm in surrender. “This match is yours! I sincerely apologize for attacking you without any provocation beyond the nature of your Servant Class!”</p><p>“Hah… hah… hah…” Connla gasped hard, trying to recover from the adrenaline rush.</p><p>Nursery held her upright and chided, “What were you thinking!? That was much too reckless!”</p><p>“I’m sorry. But I needed to buy you guys some time while you were stunned.”</p><p>“She might have given up, but stay behind us just in case.”</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>X murmured to herself as she inspected Connla. After a moment, she said, “How strange. You say you’re not a Saber, yet you clearly possess some sort of Divinity that allows you to fight like an expert. And that strange costume… Are you supposed to be some kind of festival dancer?”</p><p>“Not at all. I’m a warrior from Celtic myth,” the confused girl admitted. “Aside from my class completely changing, we really have no idea what’s going on here. We don’t even know where we are.”</p><p>“You mean you were just recently swallowed?”</p><p>“Yes, we were just… Wait, <em>swallowed</em>?”</p><p>“Yup. Swallowed.”</p><p>“Uh,” the three girls uttered in unison. All of them were afraid to ask what X was insinuating.</p><p>“Wow, this is going to take some time,” the Assassin grumbled to herself. “Okay, I’ll start at the beginning and tell you my tale so you have a better understanding of things.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Aspidochelone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 11: Aspidochelone</strong>
</p><p>Heroine X sat the three girls down like they were in a classroom, and she rested upon a flat stalagmite. It was clear to the child Servants that whatever her tale was, it was going to take some time to recount.</p><p>X cleared her throat, then said, “So, let me begin with how I wound up here. Clean your ears out, ‘cause I’m only going to explain this once! You see, I come from the Servant Universe, a parallel world where interplanetary travel is normal and we always settle our differences through intense light-saber combat.”</p><p>“Incredible! So you’re an alien Servant!?” Jack exclaimed happily. “That’s awesome! We’re meeting a real alien!”</p><p>“Exactly! I’m glad you understand how monumental this occasion is! Anyway, I was passing by this world when I realized that I needed to restock on Altrium for my spaceship, so I thought I’d make a small pit stop here. I happened to land on an island within this realm that the locals refer to as Okeanos, as I discovered a fairly large concentration of Altrium that I could harvest. However, before I even knew it, the island actually began to move on its own!”</p><p>“A moving island!? What did you do next!?”</p><p>“Well, I attempted to board my spaceship once more, but with no Altrium to power it, I was essentially at the mercy of the rising waves. My beloved spaceship and I were consumed by the raging ocean. And then… as I opened my eyes in the water… I could see <em>them</em>.”</p><p>“Them?” Jack and Nursery murmured together.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Eyes!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“… Eyes?”</p><p>“Not just any eyes! The most massive eyes I’ve ever seen in my life! They had to be as big as a mansion each, and they were spaced apart so wide, you could fit a football field between them!”</p><p>“Whoooooa!”</p><p>Behind the enthralled girls, Connla grew increasingly nervous. She visibly trembled as she murmured, “Y-Y-You’re not suggesting what it is I think you’re suggesting, are you?”</p><p>“Very good! You catch on quick, little Saber! If I had a Tiger Stamp, I would give you one!” X remarked boldly. “That’s right! I had come face-to-face with a sea demon that was so large, it could compare to Golden Great Emperor Cosmo Gilgamesh’s mothership Vimana! For indeed, I was swallowed by the fabled creature this world has come to dub as Aspidochelone, or the Shield Turtle!”</p><p>“A sea demon… Aspidochelone… So then, you’re saying that by being ‘swallowed’, we were actually consumed by an ocean Phantasmal!?”</p><p><strong><em>“EEEEH!?”</em></strong> Nursery and Jack screamed in total shock.</p><p>“Precisely!” X replied with proud fervor. “My spaceship and I were no match for the insatiable appetite of a giant that lurks within the hadal depths of the sea! I must admit though, that thing really has a good eye for food if it found me rather tasty!”</p><p><em>“In what universe is that a compliment!?”</em> Connla shouted angrily.</p><p>“You mean other than mine?”</p><p>“This is absolutely terrible! I can’t believe we’ve been inside a Phantasmal’s innards this whole time! What are we supposed to do to get out of here!?”</p><p>“Well, I’ve been fervently exploring the region in search for Altrium so that I can escape myself. After all, when life gives you lemons, and all that.”</p><p>Nursery asked, “So you were in the middle of such an expedition when you bumped into us?”</p><p>“Indeed. According to my spaceship’s clock, I’ve been trapped here for at least 10 years.”</p><p>“Ten years… Oh my word. That doesn’t sound very promising,” Connla moaned, suddenly feeling weak in her chest.</p><p>“There are plenty of other Servants in a similar situation like yourselves, but no one has any idea that they’re inside Aspidochelone, so they have made no efforts to escape themselves.”</p><p>“What? Why not?”</p><p>X folded her arms and huffed bitterly. “My technology is advanced enough that I can perform a scan of the area, and I was able to reach such a logical conclusion. The other Servants believe they’re in some kind of cavern-like world where there is no such thing as a sky or a sun. Having apprised the culture that has been established here, I can safely assume that no one would believe me if I revealed my findings to them. Besides, that would expose the existence of my super high-tech spaceship to the enemy, and according to the Underdeveloped Planet Protection Pact, it is absolutely forbidden to present technology that is too advanced to backwater worlds like this one. That is why I have presented myself as a fellow Terran to the locals while keeping my true identity under wraps.”</p><p>Nursery then said, “But you had no problem telling us about being an alien.”</p><p>“You three are different. Since you were just swallowed by the demon, that means you haven’t been acclimated to the closed-off culture that the other Servants live in. Anyone who knows that there is an outside world is a welcome ally for me, even if one of you is a Saber.”</p><p>“Like I said, I’m supposed to be a Lancer,” Connla moaned.</p><p>Jack spoke over her by wondering, “So what are we supposed to do now?”</p><p>“Worry not!” X assured. “Now that there are four of us, the search for the fabled exit can happen at a much faster rate! I can focus my efforts on scouring for Altrium, while you can look for an escape route. If you guys can’t find anything, then I promise that once I refuel my spaceship, I’ll warp all of us out of here in a flash.”</p><p>“What about the other Servants?”</p><p>“They consider this their home. It will be no loss to them if we surreptitiously make our exit without anyone knowing.”</p><p>“I don’t know about that,” Connla murmured despondently. “Even if they don’t believe there is an outside world, I think they deserve to know what’s going on.”</p><p>“Pah! Good luck with that! They’re too busy with their little faction games to notice the reality surrounding them!”</p><p>“Faction games?”</p><p>“Ah… Forget I said that. Listen, you guys. If any Servants say that they’re from some established group or country, exit hard right immediately! Those Servants will cause you nothing but trouble! Rogue Servants like myself are a safe deal since we haven’t sworn allegiance to anyone! In fact, I’ve made contact with at least one other Servant who is investigating on his own. You should have a word with him as well.”</p><p>“Um, okay.”</p><p>“All right, I bid you good tidings with the search!” X exclaimed as she immediately took off in the direction the girls came from. “If you find anything, meet me back here!”</p><p>The trio watched her leave for a minute. After a short pause, Connla tilted her head and said, “Well that was exceptionally weird.”</p><p>“Ha ha ha! She was really funny though!” Nursery giggled. “Even if she attacked us for no good reason, her story was really fun to listen to!”</p><p>“Anything and everything is ‘fun’ to you…”</p><p>Jack bounded toward the entrance that X made and pointed down while exclaiming, “Let’s check it out then! Anything’s better than just sitting around here!”</p><p>Connla shrugged and muttered, “No choice then.”</p><p>The girls ventured through the opening and continued on their journey. Nothing noteworthy happened for a while, other than them fumbling their way through a slimy tunnel that they thought would never end. Connla assumed that they had started at the entry point of Aspidochelone’s esophagus and were proceeding downward to the stomach. Just by how long it took them to make any semblance of progress, it was clear to them that the Phantasmal was too gargantuan in size for them to even comprehend. Of course, destroying it from the inside was not an option; Nursery flung a barrage of explosive spells at a soft spot in the wall, and she didn’t cause anything other than some minor scratches. They had to give up on such a pointless effort and actually find a natural exit themselves.</p><p>As the girls were growing more and more weary of slipping and sliding their way down the fleshy, tube-shaped tunnel, they finally came upon the entrance to the stomach region. The esophagus opened up on the ceiling, so they dropped down one at a time onto a winding hill of sand.</p><p>“Phew! Geez, I’m <em>so</em> tired!” Jack complained as she laid back on the wet sand in exhaustion.</p><p>“I might have a doll’s body, but I still thought I was going to pass out! That is one rabbit hole I never want to go down ever again!” Nursery added.</p><p>Connla brushed some goo and sand off herself. She wasn’t quite as tired as the others were, so she said, “I’ll take a look around to make sure it’s safe.”</p><p>She ran up the wide dune that stretched for at least a mile. Along the way, she noticed small chunks of rotted wood poking out of the sand. One particularly long log had some worn-out sails that were far too eroded to serve any further purpose, meaning that she was looking at the remains of a ship’s mast.</p><p>“Unbelievable… Just how many shipwrecks are in this place?” she murmured to herself. She counted at least seven or eight battered vessels that Aspidochelone had obviously swallowed. Each of them were in varying states of decay, so they had to have been consumed at different points in time. It was hard for her to make an analysis of the age of these ships, but she was certain the oldest one had to be around 500 years old.</p><p>
  <em>We’re currently in 1543 AD, when the Third Singularity happened. By my estimation, the Phantasmal must have existed since around 1000 AD, or perhaps even earlier.</em>
</p><p>Connla simply didn’t have enough information to work with, but at least seeing the wreckages gave her a solid clue as to how long Aspidochelone had been alive for. She stood there and pondered this evidence in silence. All she could hear were distant water droplets splashing onto large puddles in a consistent rhythm. She was so deep in thought that she initially didn’t hear Jack and Nursery calling her name.</p><p>“Hey, Connla!” Jack shouted while running over the hill.</p><p>“Hm? What’s the matter?” the Saber wondered as her friends reunited with her.</p><p>“You need to take a look at this! Nursery and I found something amazing!”</p><p>“Come over here!” Nursery implored and led the way for the others. After laboriously making their way back up the dune, they continued further until they reached a high vantage point where they could get an incredible panoramic view of the stomach region. Connla’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment. All she could blurt out was, “What in the world!?”</p><p>She stared, momentarily dumbstruck with awe at the sight before her. Before she could really parse what was going on though, Jack suddenly asked, “What is that weird beeping noise?”</p><p>“Beeping?” Connla murmured and looked around. Indeed, there was an unusually high-pitched sound ringing in their ears. She looked down at her hand and noticed that the display on her wristband was blinking emphatically. She yelped and exclaimed, “Oh no, I completely forgot!”</p><p>Nursery blinked and asked, “What is it?”</p><p>“Lord Gilgamesh told me to wear this! It’s a transmitter he had Ms. Da Vinci make for me so that he can contact me if he needs anything! Oh, this is bad! I was so caught up with the exploration and my transformation that I completely forgot about reaching him!”</p><p>“Isn’t that supposed to be good news? We can tell Goldie where we are.”</p><p>Faced with no other options, and seeing the value in Nursery’s suggestion, Connla hesitantly pressed the button to pick up the call. After a brief pause, she murmured, “Little Lancer here…”</p><p>A familiar voice on the other end scoffed, <em>“You <strong>finally</strong> picked up, runt.”</em></p><p>“Uh oh,” she whispered, noting how irritated the man sounded. She then asked, “Is this Lord Gilgamesh?”</p><p>
  <em>“None other. Do you have any idea how long you have been absent? Making me wait for such a lengthy time to answer my long-distance summons should be compensated with death. The only hope you have of escaping your inevitable sentence is to find a suitable treasure as recompense for my patience.”</em>
</p><p>“A thousand pardons, Your Majesty. No, a million pardons. I promise I was not trying to ignore you. We were simply trying to apprise our current situation.”</p><p>
  <em>“Current situation? This better not be some half-hearted excuse you devised.”</em>
</p><p>“You know she’s not like that!” Nursery exclaimed. “Listen to this, Goldie! We’re inside Mr. Aspid’s tummy right now!”</p><p>
  <em>“Huh? I have no idea what you’re going on about, mongrel. Explain what you mean to me clearly.”</em>
</p><p>“Allow me,” Connla said, then explained everything that Heroine X told them earlier.</p><p><em>“Aspidochelone… I see,”</em> Gilgamesh pondered. His foul mood seemed to settle after hearing her story. <em>“The dreaded sea turtle said to be equivalent to Satan in terms of sheer devilry. And you say you’re presently inside this monster’s gut?”</em></p><p>“Correct.”</p><p>
  <em>“You fool! What took you so long to tell me!?”</em>
</p><p>“I’m really, really sorry, sire,” Connla pleaded nervously. “There’s just so much we’re trying to understand, so-“</p><p>
  <em>“That’s not it! Why was I not invited to such a grand adventure!? If anything, destroying a Phantasmal that is wrecking havoc on my property is an event worthy of staving off my boredom!”</em>
</p><p>“<em>That’s</em> what you’re upset about!?”</p><p>
  <em>“Hmph. I suppose it can’t be helped. I too was careless enough not to have the foresight to anticipate such an occurrence.”</em>
</p><p>“As if anyone could. In any case, I’d say we’re deep inside Aspidochelone’s stomach right now. There are a significant amount of contents to examine, so I have a decent approximation of how long the beast has been alive. Its appetite knows no bounds – it has swallowed large amounts of sand, earth, water, sailing ships, and a bunch of other things.”</p><p>
  <em>“Other things? Specify.”</em>
</p><p>Connla mumbled to herself and panned her eyes everywhere. “There’s definitely a huge black lake, though I fear it’s not water but stomach acid. There are plenty of islands and boulders for us to trek across though, so we’re not in danger of being digested. And then there’s also-“</p><p>“Look, look, look! There’s a golden giant submerged in the goo!” Jack shouted as she and Nursery hopped across some plateaus to reach a massive statue that was partially submerged.</p><p>Connla mumbled to Gilgamesh, “There you have it. We’ve found dozens upon dozens of different treasures from all over the world just lying about randomly.”</p><p><em>“Interesting,”</em> the king replied. His sudden shift in voice demonstrated an obvious curiosity.<em> “What kind of valuables are we talking about here?”</em></p><p>“Hmm… There’s Incan gold, a couple of sailing vessels packed with coins and bullions, plenty of diamonds and gemstones… Oh! Are those the Irish Crown Jewels!?” the young Saber exclaimed as she found a pair of regalia comprised of hundreds of small diamonds. “What a lucky find! I should consider returning these to Dublin as soon as I can!”</p><p>
  <em>“Focus, runt!”</em>
</p><p>“R-Right! My apologies. There’s also a Faberge Egg, the Patiala Necklace, a lot of amber-colored décor, a sarcophagus, plenty of statues… Wow. These things are from so many different periods of history, and from all over the world too. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to see if there’s anything that’s sunken beneath the acid and sand, so I can’t make a complete analysis of everything here. Altogether, I’d say its total value is roughly equivalent to Fort Knox’s gold reserves.”</p><p>“Connla!” Jack exclaimed. “What’s Fort Knox!? Is it some kind of castle!?”</p><p>“No, it’s the nickname for the United States Bullion Depository, a massive vault that is located in Fort Knox, Kentucky. It currently holds about 147 million troy ounces of gold, or about 4.5 billion grams, that is worth approximately $236 billion.”</p><p>“Holy cow! Those are some big numbers! And you’re saying there’s that much here!?”</p><p>“It’s hard to say, but I think so.”</p><p>Just then, they heard Gilgamesh’s mirthful laughter over the transceiver as he blurted, <em>“Fuah ha ha ha ha ha! What nerve this beast has, attempting to rival my treasury! I have half a mind to crush that thing beneath the weight of  all of the contents of my Gate of Babylon, just to demonstrate that its paltry hoarding fails to even come close to my abilities as a top-class collector!”</em></p><p>“Do you think you could save that for after we find a way out of here?” Connla asked meekly.</p><p>
  <em>“Hmph. I suppose I will have to make do with taking your testimony at face value, runt. Besides, even if I were to board Vimana and scour the seas for Aspidochelone, I assume my efforts will be in vain since the beast can sink far beneath the waves.”</em>
</p><p>“Hey, Goldie!” Nursery shouted. “Don’t you have a submarine in that treasury of yours!? You could find us more easily if you did!”</p><p>
  <em>“What an absurd proposition! Even if I did, I would not waste it on a needless expedition, especially when you three are sufficient enough to do the exploring on my behalf!”</em>
</p><p>“Meanie! We want to escape, not explore!”</p><p>“Come on, don’t goad him like that,” Connla urged. “I’m just happy we can communicate with him and the other Servants like this.”</p><p>“Oh, fine. Guess we’ll have to find an exit by ourselves.”</p><p>“Well there you go, Lord Gilgamesh. Please let Father, Brother and the others know that we’re okay, but that it will take us a while to get back.”</p><p>They heard him grunt again before he replied, <em>“What an inconvenience this is. I suppose I shall have to make do with employing Mata Hari for the time being, though I am unable to implicitly trust her due to her notorious history. Heed my words; do not tarry with your escape efforts. The longer you are away, the more my impatience to witness the beast’s spoils swells within my very soul.”</em></p><p>“I understand. We’ll work as quickly as possible.”</p><p>Connla switched off the transceiver, then sighed, “Phew. I’m glad we managed to reach Lord Gilgamesh, but I have a bad feeling that his priorities are completely out of order.”</p><p>Nursery grinned. “Aw, that’s normal for Goldie. Let’s just be thankful that he didn’t abandon us when he could have easily done so.”</p><p>“I guess you’re right. We truly are cut off from Chaldea otherwise.”</p><p>Jack returned from ogling at all the treasure, then asked, “So what do we do now?”</p><p>Connla shook her head. “There’s no point in us staying here, so let’s just keep going.”</p><p>“Aww. I wanted to take a bunch of treasure with me!”</p><p>“It’ll just weigh us down, and we’re already tired enough from passing through the esophagus. Once we escape from Aspidochelone, I’ll talk with Master and Lord Gilgamesh to see if we can coordinate a counterattack against it. I certainly don’t want this thing to continue causing untold amounts of havoc on sailors and island dwellers any more than it already has.”</p><p>“Right!” Nursery agreed. “We’ll just leave the shiny things here and come back for them later!”</p><p>Jack thought about their suggestions, then said, “Hmm… Okay. It’s no fun to take the treasure when you haven’t even started the adventure yet.”</p><p>“Hee hee! You say some funny things sometimes!”</p><p>Now that they had a plan, they made their way past the desolate islands and mounds of treasure to see where they could continue their journey. It took them a while before they found the opposite side of the stomach region where another tunnel opened up. Jack asked Connla, “Where do you think we’ll end up this time?”</p><p>“I can’t say I’m proficient with turtle anatomy, but I can’t imagine it being much too different from a human’s. If that’s the case, we must be coming upon the small intestine and other organs like the liver, gall bladder and pancreas.”</p><p>“Do you think we’ll find any other Servants along the way?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I can’t believe that Ms. X would lie about others actually calling Aspidochelone’s innards their home, but I’m kind of worried about how quiet it’s been so far.”</p><p>“You still don’t know how to fight in your new form, don’t you?”</p><p>“I’m afraid not. I think I got some ideas from watching you fight Ms. X, but if I were caught in a real battle, I don’t think I would last very long.”</p><p>Jack widened her eyes as she had an idea. “Say, why don’t I train you?”</p><p>Connla boggled at the suggestion. “You, training me?”</p><p>“Sure, why not?” the Assassin smiled. “You seem to use the same weapons as me, and X said you looked like a festival dancer.”</p><p>“A dancer, huh? Is that really the impression I give to you guys?”</p><p>Nursery nodded. “Yep, sure do. It makes me think of those dancers you see at summer harvest celebrations. Maybe that’s what you’re modeled off of.”</p><p>“Is that so…? If that’s what you believe, then perhaps I should devise a new fighting style based off of those ideas.”</p><p>“Okay! Let’s play over here then!” Jack ushered Connla to a wide section of the tunnel leading out of the stomach. The two girls drew their twin blades and got into their combat stances, while Nursery remained off to the side and watched them.</p><p>For the next hour, the two fighters sparred against each other in harmless duels. Jack didn’t use any of her mist-generating abilities, sticking strictly to her weapons and deft movements so that Connla could pick up on her techniques. It didn’t take long for the Saber to come up with a personalized flair to her attacks. She was inspired by Jack’s abilities, and her mind often wandered to the sight of Irish dance competitions that she would watch back at Chaldea. Their free-flowing twirling, tapping and gallivanting resonated within her soul, and she could practically hear the sounds of flutes, fiddles, accordions and uilleann pipes orchestrating traditional Irish music that she could dance to.</p><p>Connla soon noticed that she was utilizing her legs for powerful kicks and thrusting knife-like jabs along with swiping her daggers at Jack. She didn’t seem to think too much about what she was doing – it was more like her body did the thinking on her behalf. Of course, her mind was actively engaged in analyzing her opponent, but her arms and legs seemed to react to her thoughts, and she either countered or avoided each of Jack’s strikes with incredible precision.</p><p>After being knocked back in midair, Jack landed on her feet, sheathed her swords and shouted, “Wow, you’re pretty good! I haven’t played that much in a long time!”</p><p>“What do you think?” Connla asked. “Do you think I could handle a Servant on my own?”</p><p>“I dunno… You’re still kinda weak, and you’re not as fast as when you’re a Lancer.”</p><p>“My speed stat must have been lowered, and I don’t feel particularly stronger. Maybe with enough time and practice, I’ll figure out which areas I’ve improved in and work with that instead.”</p><p>Nursery clapped and exclaimed, “What an amazing show that was! It was like you two had been dancing together for years!”</p><p>Connla bashfully scratched her cheek. “I don’t think I was <em>that</em> amazing. I was still kind of clumsy with several of my dodges.”</p><p>“Don’t worry! I barely noticed! You’ll only get better from here, right?”</p><p>“I suppose so…”</p><p>While they were busy with their conversation, that was when they heard a shrill female’s laugh echo throughout the vast chamber.</p><p>
  <em>“Ah ha ha ha! What sort of tomfoolery do we have here!?”</em>
</p><p>The girls jolted in surprise, then looked for where the voice was coming from. Connla gasped, “No way!”</p><p>“What’s the matter!?” Jack wondered. “You look as white as a sheet!”</p><p>“I know this person!”</p><p>“Seriously!?”</p><p>Nursery looked around, then pointed upward and barked, “Over there!”</p><p>Standing atop a flat stalagmite was a familiar purple-haired Chinese girl, but this time she was dressed in little more than a large ornate jacket, a waist cloth, and a thin spaghetti strap that wrapped around her flat chest which (miraculously) served as a bra. The girl leapt off her perch and elegantly landed before the trio. She inspected them for a moment, then grinned, “Well, well. It would seem that you are all strangers to these hallowed caverns. We would know a face when we see one, and we have never seen yours before.”</p><p>Nursery raised her eyebrows and asked, “Who might you be?”</p><p>Before the girl could respond, Connla remarked, “You’re Empress Regnant Wu Zetian, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Such callousness! How could you speak our name on such a casual basis, plebian!?” the scantily-dressed empress retorted angrily. “To think we had the intent of concealing our True Name from you as well, out of respect for your fragile minds being unable to comprehend the weight of being in the presence of someone as great as us!”</p><p>“Uh, you see…”</p><p>“Hmm?” Wu murmured curiously to herself as she squinted at Connla. “You there, in the white dancer costume. Have we met you somewhere before?”</p><p>The confused Saber stuttered, unable to answer that question directly. How in the world was Wu going to believe that Connla met her parallel universe counterpart in a vivid dream? Wu noticed how flustered she was and grinned, “Oh well. Naught more than a passing pang of déjà vu. We will forgive your lapse of judgment in respect for you addressing us by our proper title. That is much more than we could ask out of those simians who attempt to overthrow our reign out of sheer greed.”</p><p>“My apologies for being so rude,” Connla finally said. “You could say I’m already familiar with you, in a sense. I would rather not dwell on that issue though.”</p><p>“Sounds rather complicated. We are not in the mood to be regaled by pointless stories, so we will take your word for it. Now then, it is our turn for questions. Why are you three gallivanting about in such an isolated sector? One moment, you are fighting each other, the next you are shaking hands? We cannot fathom such blind idiocy!”</p><p>“We weren’t fighting, we were training!” Jack exclaimed.</p><p>“Training?”</p><p>“That’s right! Connla was just transformed into a Saber, so I was showing her how I fight so she can copy me!”</p><p>“Is that so? Why did you not specify this to us earlier? We would have maintained our silence a little longer so we could enjoy your harmless sparring.”</p><p>“Who do you think you are, calling us your court jesters!? We’re not having fun here, you know!”</p><p>Wu chuckled. “That is of no consequence to us. Finding you three has disrupted the ever-constant enemy called boredom that has threatened to assail us recently. We were so dispirited with our assured victory that we decided to embark on a personal mission without even our Kuli knowing about it. Just to, as the common folk say, ‘shake things up’.”</p><p>“You’re starting to sound an awful lot like Goldie, y’know,” Nursery commented.</p><p>Connla cringed and jabbed the Caster’s arm while chiding, “Let’s not bring <em>him</em> up right now.”</p><p>Wu continued, “But now that we have encountered Servants that we have never seen before, perhaps we should see this as an opportunity to see how you can prove yourselves to us.”</p><p>“Prove ourselves? What do you mean?”</p><p>“The task we have given ourselves is a most mundane one. Such an assignment would be beneath us normally, but our destination is none other than the Palace of Uma.”</p><p>“Uma?”</p><p>“Tell us, plebian,” Wu leaned in and tapped Connla’s shoulder with her wand. “How much are you aware of the three factions that vie for territorial control over this cavernous world?"</p><p>“Nothing whatsoever. We were just swal-“ the Saber was about to explain, but then stopped herself and stammered, “I-I-I mean, we were just summoned here! You could say we’re just a group of Rogue Servants working together to find any information we can.”</p><p>“Well aren’t you the lucky one? We are feeling most magnanimous at the moment, so we shall impart the knowledge you seek. Of course, this will not be a one-sided affair. Our trust can only be earned if you are willing to reciprocate it.”</p><p>Jack whispered to Nursery, “I think she just wants to listen to her own voice as much as possible.”</p><p>“Shh!”</p><p>Connla didn’t hear them as she asked Wu, “You mean you want us to do something for you in exchange for information?”</p><p>“Precisely.”</p><p>“As long as it isn’t too difficult, we can handle it. Is that fine with you, Jack? Nursery?”</p><p>“Sure, why not?” Nursery replied with a smile. “If you’re a friend of Connla’s, then whatever job you have for us has to be pretty easy.”</p><p>“I just wanna know what’s going on here. I don’t really care who tells us about it,” Jack replied, clearly looking disinterested in the conversation.</p><p>Connla faced Wu and said, “Looks like we’re in agreement.”</p><p>“Splendid,” the empress’ grin broadened. She placed a neatly-wrapped package in Connla’s hands and said, “All we need is for you to deliver this gift to the Queen of Uma. It is a token of goodwill and friendship, as well as our symbol of an alliance between our countries to counter Roma’s ever-growing influence.”</p><p>Connla noticed that the box was a little heavy, so she asked, “May I ask what’s inside?”</p><p>“No, you may not. That is confidential between us rulers.”</p><p>“I see. Then we’ll make sure it gets delivered.”</p><p>“Good. Now, as for the present situation, we are currently in neutral territory that has not been claimed by any of the three nations competing against each other for land and resources. We already mentioned our rival factions; Uma and Roma. Uma is governed by Queen Parvati and her subordinates, and their culture is based off of Indian and Hindu legend.”</p><p>Nursery asked, “Where do they get the name Uma from?”</p><p>Wu told her, “It is one of Parvati’s alternate names. You must be quite surprised to know that such a benevolent goddess could lead a group of citizens in war, but she is actually quite the demon when provoked. Of all three countries, her government is one of peaceful coexistence, as she allows refugees of fallen nations to seek shelter in her territory.”</p><p>“So there were other kingdoms before?” Connla wondered.</p><p>“Of course. Factions pop in and out all the time. It’s just that the stronger ones devour the weaker ones and amalgamate their citizens in order to expand their power. In all of history, we do not believe there has ever been this few factions before, which means the time for endless warmongering may soon come to its much-needed conclusion.”</p><p>“I see. So Uma expands its influence by accepting refugees and those who surrender. You mentioned Roma before. I’m going to hazard a guess that it’s based off of the Roman Empire?”</p><p>“You are most correct, little one. We are so happy to have met someone so astute,” Wu remarked mirthfully. Connla wasn’t sure if she was being genuine or sarcastic though. “Roma is chock full of filthy hedonists who are easily swayed by the charisma of incompetent oafs posing as leaders.”</p><p>“Those are some pretty harsh words.”</p><p>“They are most well deserved, too. The reason our faction seeks an alliance with Parvati’s is to topple those ill-tempered, aggressive brutes. Their territory may be the second-largest of the three countries, but those nations who fall to Roma are forcefully absorbed into their culture and repurposed into slaves. We are certain that the low-tier populace has grown weary of serving those boisterous, self-absorbed simpletons who flounder about at the top of the social rank.”</p><p>“Could it be that you and Lady Parvati are planning on using those people to incite a coup?”</p><p>Wu raised her eyebrows in contemplation and murmured, “Ooh… That’s not a bad idea, now that we think about it.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Never you mind. As for Roma’s rulers, they are governed by the Triumvirate – three of the most influential kings in both Rome and Egypt’s histories.”</p><p>“Wow! Egypt is with Roma too!?” Nursery wondered.</p><p>“Of course they are. After all, Gaius Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII Philopator married so that the pharaoh’s much smaller nation could be smoothly absorbed into Roma, on the condition that her people were not treated with the same cruelty as those who lost to them in war. Caesar and Cleopatra comprise two-thirds of the Triumvirate, but their influence pales in comparison to that rowdy half-pint Nero Claudius.”</p><p>Connla frowned and said, “Well, they do say that triumvirates are supposed to share power equally, but that’s rarely ever the case in reality. I’ve only met Emperor Nero briefly before, and I could already tell that she possesses quite the personality.”</p><p>“That is putting it <em>most</em> mildly, little one,” Wu scoffed and folded her arms in annoyance. “Remiss as we are to admit, while we laugh at her so-called ‘talent’ as a showman, we cannot say the same for her political capabilities. With but a few orchestrated words of encouragement, she can rally her simple-minded followers to take action, and she is most decisive in whom she targets. We swear, the only reason Nero has been so successful is because her citizens are vastly dumber than her.”</p><p>Jack blurted, “That’s not very nice to say! You can’t go blaming the people for the king’s stupidity!”</p><p>“Pah! We do not wish to be lectured by one who is blatantly ignorant of Roma’s brainwashed society! If we were in your position, we would exercise silence in the matter!”</p><p>“Hmmmngh!”</p><p>“Calm down, Jack,” Connla assured her. “Lady Wu has a right to her opinion. Whether or not we agree with it is up to us.”</p><p>“Hmph… phooey. I don’t care anymore,” the Assassin grunted and sauntered away boredly.</p><p>Wu dismissed the impatient serial killer and told Connla, “Presently, Nero is engaged in organizing some kind of silly event she has dubbed Nerofest, or whatever. Apparently, the monkeys she commands are so hungry for battle that even she has trouble containing them, so she periodically organizes a coliseum-type event to let them vent their stress. A pointless affair, if you ask us.”</p><p>“But it presents an opportunity for you to secretly make contact with Lady Parvati while Emperor Nero is preoccupied.”</p><p>“Oh ho. For such a rascal, you catch on quick. What do you think about becoming our strategist? With you on our side, the plots we can concoct would be most tactical and surreptitious indeed. If all goes well, our country would reign supreme in no time whatsoever!”</p><p>“Uh, I think we should focus on one thing at a time,” Connla replied nervously. “First we have to deliver this package to Lady Parvati on your behalf. Anything else will have to wait until afterwards.”</p><p>“Fair enough. It would not benefit either party for us to be too hasty with such plans.”</p><p>Nursery chimed in by asked, “So what about your country, Empress Wu? You haven’t said anything about that yet.”</p><p>“Ah, our beautiful, glorious nation…” Wu crooned in delight. “We are most pleased with your healthy curiosity, child of fairy tales. We purposefully did not mention our kingdom since we wanted to save the best for last.”</p><p>“Ha ha! I can already tell that you love your country a lot!”</p><p>“Indeed we do!”</p><p>Connla interjected, “I can see that too, but do you think you could keep your explanation short? We don’t want to delay in running your errand, after all.”</p><p>“Fie! We were giddy with glee at telling you <strong><em>all</em></strong> about our country, yet we cannot ignore the urgency of your job either. Very well, we shall give you the abridged version. As you may no doubt know already, we are the Queen of Zhou, the nation comprised of Chinese locals and those who were absorbed into us, such as the Romanians and Japanese.”</p><p>“Where do you get the name Zhou from?”</p><p>“Goodness! Are you <em>that</em> oblivious to our storied history!? Zhou is none other than the dynasty that we ruled during the middle of the Tang dynasty! No relation to the Zhou dynasty that occurred between 1046-256 BC, of course.”</p><p>“So your dynasty sort of interrupted the Tang dynasty?”</p><p>“Excuse us, but we refer to it as a <em>highlight</em>, not an interruption!”</p><p>“Oh, okay…”</p><p>“We could go on about the political structure we have carefully constructed over the years, though we fear there is little time for that. We shall make do with stating that, should you three be successful in your mission, you will be welcomed into Zhou with most open arms. Earning the favor of the empress is an honor that you should not pass up!”</p><p>“Then I suppose we should get going. This package isn’t going to deliver itself.”</p><p>“But, how are we supposed to get to Uma from here? We can’t make heads or tails of anything in these caves,” Nursery said.</p><p>“Not to worry,” Wu assured, then pointed down one of the forked pathways. “You simply need to continue down that road, and you will come upon a large open area full of water and lotus flowers. Uma Palace resides upon that lake.”</p><p>“Oooh, that sounds really pretty! I wanna see it!”</p><p>Connla snapped, “This is not a sightseeing tour. We have to remember our primary objective as well.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know. We’re just making a quick pit stop there. If this Parvati lady is as nice as Empress Wu says, maybe she’ll give us directions, or even a map!”</p><p>“Good idea. Let’s go see.”</p><p>“You three be careful now,” Wu told them as they were about to depart. “Word is that one of Parvati’s subordinates has quite the nasty temper. You should mind your manners whenever he’s around.”</p><p>“Thank you for the advice. Maybe we will see each other again soon,” Connla said.</p><p>The empress watched them leave and waved in farewell for a bit. Once they were gone, she put her arms behind her back and grinned broadly.</p><p>“He he he he he… Oh goodness, that was much too easy. It took everything we had not to laugh at how gullible those children were. Now then, with Parvati’s destruction assured, we should return home and observe how this farce plays itself out.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Faction Games</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 12: Faction Games</strong>
</p><p>The following morning, all of Chaldea’s Servants were gathered around at the beach. Gilgamesh had summoned them to announce what Connla had told him during the night. The reactions he garnered were rather mixed, but all agreed that they needed to prioritize finding the girls and making sure that the claims of a gigantic sea Phantasmal were true. If it was, then they had to think about defeating it so that it wouldn’t cause any further damage to human history, especially since the Third Singularity had been a source of enough trouble for the mid-1500s.</p><p>“Good grief. What a vacation this is turning out to be,” Emiya groaned. “If Aspidochelone really is as large as Connla says, I dread to think what would have happened had it attacked while we were helping Master correct the Third Singularity.”</p><p>Cuchulainn Prototype winced, “Let’s not go there, man. I already have enough chills in my spine worrying about the kids.”</p><p>“So how should we go about with the search?” Boudica asked Gilgamesh.</p><p>He replied, “If the youngsters truly are within the bowels of a Phantasmal, then there must be a way to essentially ‘fish’ it back to the surface. Regardless of its size, one shot from Ea is all I needed to wipe it from the face of the Earth. Unfortunately, I simply cannot do that while it remains hidden beneath the ocean’s depths.”</p><p>“You seem rather motivated, considering that you never use your ultimate weapon unless Master gives you a command. Are you really that worried about the children?”</p><p>“Don’t be absurd. The runt said that Aspidochelone is hoarding a fantastic amount of treasure. As a collector, I simply must see for myself if it is true or not.”</p><p>“Hah hah!” Ozymandias chuckled. “Only kings of our caliber know how to turn a dire situation around so that it benefits us! Although these isles are a sight to behold, one can only enjoy them for so long before the senses are dulled to their splendor. Partaking in this investigation would be a suitable distraction from the constant threat of boredom, though with my plentiful luck, I fear I may find results faster than anticipated.”</p><p>“Of course, I will be the one doing the actual work for my liege,” Nitocris added with a broad smile.</p><p>“Then let us not waste time,” Mata Hari said. “I have spoken with Da Vinci, and she is going to deliver some sailing vessels for us to explore the other islands. As such, we will have to divide our party into suitable groups. The trouble is, what exactly are we supposed to be searching for, and what do we do when we find it?”</p><p>Jing Ke then said, “I don’t know if this will help much, but while I was hunting for game yesterday, I happened to spot some kind of statue out in the middle of the jungle. It was rather old and eroded from years of exposure to the elements. What bothered me was that it hardly matched with Okeanos’ tropical culture. It seemed to be derived out of some European culture, though I couldn’t really tell which one.”</p><p>“Where exactly did you see it?” Nightingale asked.</p><p>“I would have to show you.”</p><p>Gilgamesh declared, “Then you will guide me to this out-of-place artifact, assassin. I have no intentions of going with any of you mongrels, so my time will be best spent getting to know this island like the back of my hand. Besides, I am the only one who can make contact with the runt’s party, and the signal seems to be strongest on this particular strip of land. The rest of you will commence the search for any clues about Aspidochelone. Do not make me waste my time waiting for results.”</p><p>As Gilgamesh followed Jing Ke into the wetlands, Kintoki looked over at Cuchulainn Alter as he approached the water. The Celtic warrior was now clad in black swimming trunks with red spike designs on the sides, and he clearly looked intent on diving into the water. Kintoki asked, “Hey, hey, are you seriously thinking about taking a dip <em>now</em>?”</p><p>“Are you an idiot?” Alter snapped. “If there really is a sea monster out there, then I’m gonna go slaughter it myself.”</p><p>“You shitting me, man? You heard what the Golden King said about Aspidochelone’s size! There’s no way you could take it on by yourself!”</p><p>“Who said I planned on fighting it from the outside? I’ll just let myself be swallowed so I can destroy its innards. I’m basically borrowing a page out of the kid’s strategy book by butchering a much larger opponent from the inside.”</p><p>“Can you really find it though? It must be hundreds of meters deep beneath the ocean by now. If you aren’t careful, you could find yourself suffering a serious case of the bends. I think it’s safer to find a way to lure it back to the surface.”</p><p>“Don’t underestimate me, blondie. Since I’m fused with the bones of the sea monster Curruid, my free-diving skills are now nothing to scoff at. I’ll make that gluttonous behemoth go belly-up if it’s the last thing I do.”</p><p>“Well yeah, but-”</p><p>Cuchulainn Prototype muttered, “Give it up, dude. Whenever Connla’s in danger, all common sense goes out the window with that guy. Just let him do his own thing – it’s way easier than trying to argue with someone as irrational as him.”</p><p>“Hm,” Kintoki murmured as they watched Alter dive underwater. A moment later, he smirked, “Oh well. The guy might be violent, but at least his heart’s in the right place. Let’s do our part and start searching for golden clues to solve this mystery!”</p>
<hr/><p>Meanwhile, Jack, Nursery and Connla left the treasure-laden stomach region behind and ventured down the tunnels that Wu directed them to. The cavern continued winding about, which took them about 15 minutes to traverse before they finally spotted some mystical azure light shining at the end of the road. They rounded the bend and stopped to admire the breathtaking scenery.</p><p>A massive lake about 2500 miles in diameter stretched as far as the eye could see, and the radiant wall glowing caused the perfectly still water to sparkle like gemstones. Countless lotus pads dotted the water’s surface, decorating the ultramarine lake with numerous pink flowers. A long stone bridge guided visitors to the city situated in the center of the water, and a large Indian-styled castle stood tall over the many houses and facilities. The location was absolutely marvelous, definitely worth taking hundreds of photos for if the girls had a camera on hand.</p><p>“So this is the Uma Faction’s stronghold? It’s amazing,” Connla murmured.</p><p>“Incredible! It’s like we’re in a Hindu fairy tale!” Nursery beamed.</p><p>Jack ran up to the lake’s edge and dabbed her toe into the water, causing it to ripple. She exclaimed, “Hey, I wanna swim here!”</p><p>Connla frowned and replied, “Let’s not do anything that would upset the locals. It’d be best to ask their permission first.”</p><p>“Aww. Then after we finish our important job?”</p><p>“Yes, we can ask Lady Parvati afterwards. Just be patient until then.”</p><p>Jack giggled with anticipation as she squealed, “Yay, swimming! I love swimming in warm water! It’s like being back in Mommy’s womb!”</p><p>Just then, an unfamiliar man’s voice barked over them, “HEY! What do you think you’re doing!? Our prized lake is not for frolicking around in!”</p><p>“Whoa! Who was that just now!?” Nursery yelped, and the trio glanced around to see who was speaking to them. They found a rather tall man storming towards them with a fierce expression on his face. His skin tone was very dark, which contrasted with his flaming red hair and bright yellow eyes. He wore lower body armor and greaves, gold-and-red gauntlets, and had nothing covering his toned chest and backside. One could easily think that he was the personification of a roaring fire blazing over a pile of smoldering charcoal, and his loud personality only served to heighten that imagery.</p><p>Connla winced and thought, <em>This must be the ill-tempered bodyguard that Lady Wu was talking about.</em></p><p>“Huh? I thought you were invaders trying to poison our water supply, but you’re just a bunch of kids,” the man remarked after taking a closer look at them. “Don’t think I’ve seen your faces before, and I’ve met every possible Servant there is in this land.”</p><p>“Good day, mister. We’re new here, so we were just doing some exploring,” Nursery told him. “Sorry if Jack was causing any trouble.”</p><p>“Hmm… Well, if you’re newcomers, then it can’t be helped. So long as you didn’t dive into the water carelessly, I’ll overlook it. So, are you girls planning on staying here? Uma’s a little crowded as it is, but Lady Parvati would be happy to let you in. It’s certainly a lot safer here than Zhou or Roma, that’s for sure.”</p><p>“Oh no, we were just passing by,” Connla told him. “Speaking of Lady Parvati, and I know this is sudden, but is there any chance we could meet with her?”</p><p>“What!?” the man yelped in abject surprise. “Are you out of your mind!? Even if you’re just a bunch of pipsqueaks, I can’t let you guys waltz into the palace and meet the queen without a good reason!”</p><p>“Oh boy. I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy…”</p><p>Jack ran up to him and shouted, “Don’t be so mean, you big jerk! If your queen is as nice as we’ve heard, then it shouldn’t be a problem!”</p><p>The man’s eyes narrowed for a moment, then flared up so much that the whites of his eyes turned red. He retorted in a booming voice, “First of all, <strong><em>who are you calling a jerk!?</em></strong> It’s not my fault I have to be strict with visitors! Lady Parvati’s relying on me to keep any assassins away from her, and I’m going to do exactly that!”</p><p>“There’s a difference between guarding your queen and being plain rude to guests!”</p><p>“God, you’re a whiny one, aren’t you!? This is why I can’t stand being around children!”</p><p>Connla pulled Jack away and implored, “Calm down. He’s just doing his job of protecting his country. There’s no need to be so upset with him.”</p><p>“Geez! How can a nice queen have such a mean guy as her bodyguard!? There’s no way we’ll get to meet her at this rate!”</p><p>“So long as you keep talking to him like that, then yes, it will be impossible.”</p><p>“But-!”</p><p>“Just be quiet and let me negotiate with him.”</p><p>Jack stepped behind Connla and pouted in annoyance. The young Saber bowed to the man and said, “Pardon my friend’s rudeness. She’s not used to delicate conversations like this.”</p><p>“Damn straight,” he replied, but his anger subsided once he realized he was dealing with someone who possessed enough decency to not argue with him. “So, why exactly do you kids want to meet Lady Parvati? You know about the tense political strife between Uma, Zhou and Roma, don’t you? It’s for that reason that I can’t just allow anyone to meet with this nation’s queen.”</p><p>“It’s kind of hard to explain, but-“</p><p>“Oh my! What do we have here!?” a woman’s voice cheerfully exclaimed over them. The group looked over to the bridge and discovered two ladies strolling across on what looked to be a casual walk. The one who spoke had medium-length purple hair that flowed over her upper back, and dawned a golden wreath-like crown with a large lotus flower attached to the left side of her head. She wore a taut blue shirt and skirt with Indian-style patterns etched on them, and sported several bracelets, necklaces and earrings. She truly looked like a goddess given human form, and her beauty was as spectacular as the city she ruled over.</p><p>Connla inhaled sharply and thought, <em>Matou Sakura!? What is <strong>she</strong> doing here!?</em></p><p>The red-haired man suddenly became shocked as he barked, “Lady Parvati!? Why are you out here at this time!?”</p><p>“Just thought I’d go for a little stroll.”</p><p>“You know you can’t do that! What if there are assassins lying in wait!?”</p><p>“Settle down, Ashwatthama. I’ve brought Medusa with me in case anything happens. Besides, it’s not like we’re going very far.”</p><p>“I-I know it’s been difficult for you to be confined to the palace walls… but can’t you just be patient a little longer? You’re giving me a heart attack with your carefree gallivanting, you know.”</p><p>“Oh, don’t be silly. Nero’s busy with her festival, and Wu is still reeling from Roma’s latest attack against her citadel. This is as good a chance as any to take a break from playing war and just enjoy the scenery.”</p><p>Behind Parvati, the Rider-class version of Medusa said to the man, “You may or may not believe this, but Lady Parvati actually wanted to go see the festival.”</p><p><strong><em>“GAAAAH!?”</em></strong> Ashwatthama roared in dismay, looking like he was ready to fall to the ground out of sheer agitation. “No, NO, and <strong><em>NO!</em></strong> Not happening! No way, no how, not on my watch! If you go traipsing into Roma territory like that, they’ll have your head on a pike!”</p><p>“Relax, I told her the same thing. In fact, I convinced her that if she wanted to see a festival, she should host one herself.”</p><p>“Oh, really?”</p><p>Parvati interjected, “I thought it was a wonderful idea, so I wanted to go for a walk and brainstorm some ideas.”</p><p>“Is that right? Phew! Had me scared there for a second!”</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Ashwatthama. I know you’re taking your job very seriously, and I appreciate it very much. It’s just that I can be such a klutz sometimes, so I often need people to look after me.”</p><p>“I do not deserve such praise. It’s the least I can do with these powers that Lord Shiva blessed me with. In all honesty, I should have purified myself of this blight that I carry within my soul a long time ago, but I feared that I wouldn’t be able to keep you safe if I did.”</p><p>“Don’t worry so much about it. So long as you don’t use Shiva’s strength for evil, then you are free to do as you please.”</p><p>“Of course…”</p><p>While Parvati and Ashwatthama were talking, Jack leaned in close and whispered to her friends, “Who are these people supposed to be? I’ve seen that Medusa lady at Chaldea before, but I don’t know anything about the pretty lady and that Ashbatt… Ashyhat… Abishag… What was his name again?”</p><p>“Ashwatthama,” Nursery corrected her. “He’s a hero from the <em>Mahabharata</em>, said to have avenged his country’s demise by going berserk and massacring thousands of enemy soldiers in a single night. Supposedly, he’s a cursed immortal being who can never communicate with anyone, and lives in agonizing pain all the time.”</p><p>“Whoa! Someone that scary is protecting such a nice lady!?”</p><p>“It makes sense though,” Connla said, “considering that he’s been blessed with the strength of Lady Parvati’s husband, Lord Shiva. He’s supposed to be as powerful as Karna or Arjuna, so we better be careful with what we say, or he could destroy us immediately.”</p><p>“Uuuh…” Jack whimpered. “Why is everyone we meet so crazy and violent?”</p><p>“I’m more concerned about Lady Parvati herself. She looks exactly like a female Master I saw in one of my dreams, yet she’s acting like the goddess herself.”</p><p>Nursery murmured, “She must be a Pseudo-Servant then, like how Mr. Zhuge is inhabiting the body of that sharp-eyed Mage guy.”</p><p>“You’re probably right. She’s even with the very same Rider-class Servant she summoned in that Holy Grail War. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”</p><p>As the girls were conversing with each other, Parvati leaned over them and chirped, “Ooh, is this that ‘girl talk’ I’ve heard so much about? Let me join in too!”</p><p>“Wha-!?” the trio cried out and backed away in surprise.</p><p>“Lady Parvati! Please, be careful around people you’ve never met!” Ashwatthama desperately implored. “I was just about to get their story out of the purple-haired kid when you and Medusa showed up. Apparently, they wanted to meet with you before continuing on their exploration journey, or something like that.”</p><p>“Really? My, how lucky you girls are that I came here on my walk!” Parvati beamed. “As you might already know by now, I’m the ruler of the Uma Faction, and wife of the Hindu god Shiva, Parvati. Normally I’m not one who condones violence, but due to the turbulent nature of this oh-so dreadful territory war, I have been summoned to do battle as a Lancer and to bring a swift end to this pointless struggle between countries. Oh, but I digress. You’re not here to listen to me prattle on about myself. Now then, is there something you children wish to ask of me?”</p><p>“Mm,” Connla nodded, then showed her the package. “We met with the queen of Zhou, Wu Zetian, and she wanted us to deliver this gift as a symbol of goodwill between your countries.”</p><p>“Goodwill? Between Uma and Zhou?”</p><p>“That’s what she said.”</p><p>Ashwatthama’s face contorted with mirth, and he bellowed, “Geh hah hah hah hah hah! A present from that pretentious harlot!? Don’t make me laugh!”</p><p>“My, how unusual,” Parvati murmured. “I never thought that Wu would try to make contact with me like this.”</p><p>Nursery widened her eyes and asked, “You mean you weren’t expecting to see her?”</p><p>“Not at all. But then again, perhaps she is growing desperate after the damage that Roma caused to her territory recently.”</p><p>“Hmph. This whole thing is putting the word ‘suspicious’ to shame,” Medusa muttered. “Everyone knows that Wu Zetian puts herself above all others. Even if she really wants to forge an alliance with us, she will only think about how it’s going to benefit herself, and how she is going to betray us should Roma be knocked down a peg or two.”</p><p>Ashwatthama stormed up to Connla and exclaimed, “Medusa’s right! How the hell could you not know anything about Zhou’s queen!? Are you stupid or something!?”</p><p>“B-But she said we could-“</p><p>“I’m not interested in what she says! Get that thing out of my sight NOW!” he raged as he slammed the package out of her hands, sending it flying several meters off to the side. “Screw that wench and her empty promises! Zhou can go to hell for all I ca-!”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>KABOOO~OOOM!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Before anyone realized it, the box exploded. Everyone silently stared at the ground as smoke billowed around the blast site. The child Servants all shared the same flabbergasted look of surprise. Parvati covered her mouth in mild shock, while Medusa was indifferent as usual. Ashwatthama was obviously the most furious of the bunch, clenching his teeth and trembling with anger as he glared at where the package exploded.</p><p>“… I’m not sure what’s going on here,” Connla murmured in a flat tone, “but I do know what we have to do next.”</p><p>“And that is?” Jack and Nursery uttered together.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Run for it!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>The three girls stumbled and fled from the scene as fast as they could.</p><p><strong><em>“GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE SHITS!”</em></strong> Ashwatthama shrieked lividly and took chase, summoning a massive human-sized chakram and flailing it about to try and pummel them.</p><p>As the group vanished into the darkness, Medusa just stood there and folded her arms before asking Parvati, “You’re not going to try and stop them? They just made an assassination attempt on you.”</p><p>The goddess giggled. “Come now. Do you really think such sweet little things are capable of something so insidious?”</p><p>“They certainly looked like it to me.”</p><p>“If anything, I think Wu took advantage of those poor children while they were lost. I’m sure Ashwatthama will figure things out once he apprehends them.”</p><p>“I think he’ll kill them before he can extract any useful information.”</p>
<hr/><p>The three girls fled out of Uma’s territory and headed down the confusing labyrinth of caves, branching pathways and winding roads that comprised Aspidochelone’s small intestine. Ashwatthama maintained an impressive pursuit, never allowing the kids to escape his sight as he barreled after them like a plummeting meteorite. There was one time when the girls had to bunny hop over a large bump of squishy material, and he slammed his chakram on the protuberance in an attempt to crush them, causing bodily fluids to splash all over the place. He narrowly missed them, but they lost their footing and tumbled along the ground.</p><p>“Ungh! This is bad!” Connla gasped as she glanced back at the livid man.</p><p>“Got you now, brats! Don’t resist, and I won’t make this painful!” Ashwatthama threatened them.</p><p>Jack vaulted to her feet and brandished her daggers as she shouted, “As if! That huge ring will make pancakes out of us, no matter how gentle you are with it!”</p><p>“Guess you’re right. I’m not exactly fond of holding back, after all!”</p><p>“No worries! Berserkers might be strong, but at least they’re easy to mess with!” Nursery grinned as she opened her large book.</p><p>His expression contorted as he snapped, “Huh!? Who are you calling a Berserker!? I might look like this, but I’m actually an Archer!”</p><p>“<em>Whaa~aat!?</em> You can’t just flail a giant donut around and call yourself an Archer, stupid!”</p><p>Connla raised an eyebrow and murmured, “Are you sure about that?”</p><p>“Looks like we’re getting off-topic here,” Ashwatthama declared as he got into his combat stance and flashed a wicked grin. “You kids did something <em>very</em> naughty, and I have to punish you for it. So then, let’s just get to it already!”</p><p>Upon hearing that threat, Jack immediately conjured a thick mist to try and obscure his vision. She then hurled dozens of black scalpels at him, but he simply swiped his chakram in a clean horizontal motion to deflect the miniature projectiles. He charged into the mist towards where he believed Jack was hiding and slammed his weapon onto the ground. She had just barely cartwheeled out of the way, which totally stunned her. His hair, eyes and body glowed like a raging fire, lighting his way through the darkness as he gave chase upon the surprised Assassin.</p><p>“What’s going on here!? Why can you see so well in the dark!?” Jack shouted as she tried to parry Ashwatthama’s attack. Her small frame was no match against his massive weapon, and she was sent flying backwards against the wall.</p><p>“Isn’t it obvious!? I’m the guy who murdered thousands in a single night! Of course the dark isn’t going to affect me!” he replied angrily before rushing at her.</p><p>Before he could crush Jack beneath his chakram, Connla leapt into the fray and used a platform Rune in midair to propel herself headfirst at his torso, thrusting her daggers out for extra damage. She managed to knock him away and cut into his skin, but he was barely fazed as he glared at her. Without saying a word, he swiped at her. She hopped directly over the attack and flung some Ansuz Runes at his face, pummeling him further back. As he skidded on his feet, Nursery dashed in behind him and thrust her palms at his back, slamming him so hard that he folded like a jackknife.</p><p>“GAH! <strong><em>You…!</em></strong>” Ashwatthama roared and regained his balance before throwing a punch at Nursery’s face. Even though she was a Caster, she was surprisingly adept at martial arts, and she managed to block his large fist with both arms crossed in front of her head. By now, Jack had dispelled her mist after realizing it was going to be useless, and she joined Nursery in a choreographed dual attack against him. Whatever Nursery did on his right side, Jack did the same on his left. When Jack swiped upward, Nursery likewise performed an uppercut. They knocked him off balance by smashing their feet against his heel, but his chakram helped him stay upright, and he knocked both girls aside in one fell swoop.</p><p>Ashwatthama attempted to charge in and pummel them to death. Before he realized it though, Connla had jumped in from behind and grabbed his raised fist while she was in midair, and she used the momentum to hurl him away from her friends. He got to his feet and laughed, “Geh hah hah hah hah! You kids aren’t half bad! Looks like I have to stop messing around on account of your ages and actually get serious!”</p><p>Connla gasped in terror as she felt her very soul shake from his exploding battle aura. He rushed at her with more fervor than before, and she was dangerously hard-pressed to either dodge or block his vicious strikes. Just the mere size of his chakram was throwing her off-kilter, and his raw strength was far greater than hers. Add to the fact that Sabers possessed a natural disadvantage against Archers, and she knew she was going to be in serious trouble if this kept up for too long. The only things that kept Connla going were her fast reflexes and Protection From Arrows, and she knew that wouldn’t last forever.</p><p>After parrying another powerful blow, Connla lost her footing and tripped onto her buttocks. Ashwatthama stood tall over her and prepared to stomp his chakram over her head as he shouted, <em>“This is for trying to kill Lady Parvati!”</em></p><p><strong><em>“Connla!”</em></strong> Jack and Nursery cried out.</p><p>She clenched her teeth out of pure horror, then squeezed her eyes shut and threw her hands forth in surrender while screaming, <strong><em>“YAAA~AAA~AAAH!”</em></strong></p><p>Suddenly, there was a rush of searing heat. A loud clanging sound reverberated throughout the caverns. Ashwatthama gasped as he noticed that his weapon had made contact with another one that had appeared literally out of nowhere. The moment Connla screamed for dear life, a wheel of flames as large as his weapon had materialized in a fiery burst and countered him. She stared at this mysterious wheel in abject shock, having no idea what was going on.</p><p><em>“Wh-What the hell!?”</em> Ashwatthama barked and stepped back.</p><p>The flaming halo fizzled out of existence, allowing Jack to grab the trembling Connla’s wrist. She forced her friend to run with her as she exclaimed, “We’re getting out of here!”</p><p>“But what about Nursery!?”</p><p>As Connla asked this, the Caster was already fighting the livid Archer in another duel. Ashwatthama noticed her coming and threw a punch at her, but she sidestepped it and twirled on her toes before grabbing his arm and tossing him away in pure Aikido style. She then looked back at the others and exclaimed, “Leave this to me! Jack, go to the meeting place and keep her safe!”</p><p>“I will!”</p><p>“That’s insane!” Connla objected. “Nursery can’t fight him by herself! We need to work together and-!”</p><p>“I know you’re scared to death! Even as we’re running, you can’t stop shaking!”</p><p>“Ah… Uh… Y-You’re right…”</p><p>“Let’s go back and see if we can meet up with Miss X! She could help us fight that crazy bastard!”</p><p>The two girls soon ran out of Ashwatthama’s sight, and he snarled in frustration at losing two of his opponents. He returned his attention to Nursery as she ran toward him and leapt. She pointed her foot outward and dove at torpedo-like speeds, intent on smashing his head. He raised his chakram and had to use every ounce of strength to block it – his toes even scraped against the ground. He batted her off and flailed the massive weapon everywhere. She performed some agile flips, ducks, and rolls to get out of the way before kicking at his back, sending him flying straight upward.</p><p>Nursery leapt after him, intent on pummeling him with numerous blows while he was stunned. To her astonishment though, Ashwatthama twisted his body back so he was facing her, and he sported a smug grin that she wasn’t expecting. He held his chakram back like a hammer, then swung down hard and threw it at her. Unable to get out of the way, Nursery was smashed beneath the weapon’s weight and incapacitated. He landed nearby and scowled at the unconscious Servant.</p><p>“Could’ve made this easier if you had just given up,” he snarled, then approached her. He raised his foot and was about to pulverize her head beneath it.</p><p>“Wait, Ashwatthama!” he suddenly heard Parvati’s voice cry out in the distance. He looked back in surprise and found the young queen running for him.</p><p>“Lady Parvati!? Why are you here!?” he wondered.</p><p>“Please, don’t kill her! I know that Wu was just using those children for her plot! There’s no need to punish them for being tricked!”</p><p>“How would you know that with absolute certainty!? They really could be in cahoots with Zhou!”</p><p>“I would like to interrogate this one, if I may. I’m sure she would be willing to tell me what is going on,” Parvati said as she pushed the chakram off Nursery’s body and held her upright. “Besides, if those children really are lost, I would like to welcome them into Uma and offer them protection from Zhou.”</p><p>“You’re too lenient, you know that?”</p><p>She glanced up at him with a particularly fierce look in her eye as she murmured, “Is there something wrong with that?”</p><p>“Gah… N-No, not at all! Your will is my command!” Ashwatthama yelped, much too frightened to incur his liege’s wrath. “I simply implore you to be careful. They might be kids, but they’re still Servants.”</p><p>“I know that. If this one starts causing trouble, Medusa will know what to do.”</p><p>“The interrogation specialist, huh? That’s all well and good, but the other two brats got away.”</p><p>“Oh, how perplexing,” Parvati grew increasingly worried. “I really wish they hadn’t run away. Although considering the circumstances, I can’t blame them.”</p><p>“What would you have me do, m’lady? Should I look for them?”</p><p>“I’m afraid we can’t afford to lighten our defenses, now that we know that Zhou intends to make a move against us. A lot of residents will be preoccupied with Roma’s festival, so Wu is using that as a cover to eliminate our faction. If the citizens hear that Uma falls, I dread to think of the pandemonium that would follow – I sincerely doubt even Nero would be able to keep them under control.”</p><p>“Very well. Let’s go back then.”</p>
<hr/><p>Meanwhile, Jack and Connla continued rushing down the winding pathways and grottos for at least ten minutes. Neither of them had wanted to leave Nursery behind, but they had to accept that there was no other choice and escape for her sake. There was simply too much they didn’t know about the conflict between the three factions, and Connla would definitely want to focus on gathering information before attempting to reunite with Nursery. Unfortunately, they would already hit a major hurdle when the path suddenly split into two completely different directions.</p><p>“Oh no… What do we do?” Connla murmured. “We’ve been running around so frantically that I have no idea which way we came from.”</p><p>“We’ll have to split up,” Jack suggested. “One of these has to be the right way, so let’s explore both of them, then come back here and figure out which path we take.”</p><p>“I suppose we have no choice. I’ll take the left one.”</p><p>“Okay. Be careful!”</p><p>They parted ways and hurried through the tunnels. Jack continued down her path for several minutes. After a while though, she started to feel sick to her stomach, and she had to cover her mouth and cough. The area smelled so horrendously pungent that it crippled her.</p><p>“Ungh… No, this can’t be the right way,” she murmured to herself. “I better go back and-“</p><p>“Oh ho ho ho! We’re not going to let you go so easily!” a familiar high-pitched girl’s voice rung in the air, and Jack looked up to discover a cloud of violet poison cloaking her immediate vicinity. A silhouette passed through the haze, and a haughty Wu Zetian emerged tapping her wand against her hand.</p><p>Jack grew increasingly furious as she snarled, “You! You totally tricked us!”</p><p>“Goodness. You only noticed just now? How we pity you for being so naïve to our true intentions. Truly, in what universe would we want any sort of affiliation with Parvati? That woman is much too magnanimous and clueless to be fit as a ruler – hardly a worthy partner for a genius climber of the ranks such as ourselves. Fortunately for us, she’s already done the tedious part of rounding up people and gathering them all in one place. All we need to do is put the blade to her throat and steal the throne for ourselves. Mighty convenient, wouldn’t you agree?”</p><p>“Like I care about your stupid plans, you cackling bitch! I won’t let you get away with using us like that!”</p><p>Wu narrowed her eyes and murmured, “We would watch our tongue, if we were you.”</p><p>Then several footsteps approached Jack, and she looked up in dismay. Surrounding Wu was a crowd of purple-dressed women who covered their faces behind steel helmets. They brandished spiked clubs, which were dripping with the blood of victims they tortured. Jack wanted to retaliate, but her lungs screamed for mercy each time she inhaled the noxious gas, which was coming from an urn that Wu held.</p><p>The empress smiled and taunted, “Give it up, little Assassin. You belong to Zhou now.”</p>
<hr/><p>Back in the other pathway, Connla momentarily lost her grip on reason as she commanded her feet to keep carrying her forward. Having to leave Nursery behind was hard enough, but to part ways with Jack as well especially terrified her. Her heart was racing so fast that she thought it would burst. While her body was preoccupied with running, her mind wandered elsewhere as she thought about the flaming wheel she unintentionally summoned.</p><p>
  <em>That halo just now… There’s only one thing in Celtic mythology that matches it, but I don’t want to believe it…</em>
</p><p>As she pondered on this dilemma, she soon approached the end of this particular cavern and emerged upon the edge of another open field. There weren’t any sand dunes here, so she knew she hadn’t returned to the stomach region. Although terrified and alone, she needed to calm down and think about where she was and what to do next. She got down on her knees to catch her breath and did some quick strategizing.</p><p>
  <em>I know we’ve been running around in Aspidochelone’s small intestine for a while, and I’m sure that the Uma Faction was stationed somewhere at the base of the liver. My path has been taking me upward for the last while, so…</em>
</p><p>Connla had to remember how a turtle’s anatomy was structured. She imagined Aspidochelone as a turtle on a chart with its viscera visible. The esophagus ran horizontally to the stomach, which was the central-most organ in the body. From the stomach, the small intestine dominated the majority of its lower body. The heart and liver were below the stomach and intestine, while the lungs and kidney were above. Ever since she parted ways with Jack, she had been steadily climbing up the intestines, so she had to be in Aspidochelone’s upper regions by now. Her hunch was confirmed when she saw the fleshy ceiling contract in and expand out in a familiar breathing rhythm.</p><p>
  <em>I knew it. I must be near the lungs right now. I’ve come quite a ways from the liver then.</em>
</p><p>Now that Connla had her bearings, she needed to figure out how to get back to the stomach from here. She figured that there had to be another entrance she could use that would take her back down, so she got up and started searching the barren area. With her task secured, she could focus on what was really bothering her; the strange flaming halo that repelled Ashwatthama’s attack.</p><p>
  <em>There’s no two ways about it. That has to be the same wheel of sunlight that Father used to burn the swamp that led to the Land of Shadows – Lugh’s Halo. It was supposed to be a gift from Grandfather so that Father could meet Scathach and learn the skills that made him a hero.</em>
</p><p>Lugh’s Halo was supposed to represent the Wheel of the Year, the concept that Pagans used to describe how eight particular festivals, along with solstices and equinoxes, were equally divided among a 12-month period. Each festival, or what Wiccans called a <em>sabbat</em>, was ordered the following way; Yule in late December, Imbolic in early February, Ostara in mid-March, Beltane in early May, Litha in mid-June, Lughnasadh in early August, Mabon in mid-September, and Samhain in early November. Connla was most interested in Lughnasadh since that was the next-closest <em>sabbat</em>, and she had recounted Lugh’s tale to Jack and Nursery earlier. The fact that she had been mysteriously transformed into a Saber-class Servant also bothered her. She couldn’t believe it was a mere coincidence - something highly unusual was going on, and she was somehow connected to it.</p><p>Connla closed her eyes and somberly thought, <em>Grandfather…</em></p><p>A loud booming sound snapped her back to attention, and she looked over to see what had happened. To her astonishment, she discovered that a large Demon Boar had smashed its way through the nearby wall, emerging in a feral display of exploding guts and blood. It looked to be rather injured though, but that didn’t seem to slow it down as it turned its beady red eyes upon the girl, snorted loudly, and clapped its hoof on the ground several times.</p><p>“W-What in the world-!?” she uttered.</p><p>She was so caught off guard that she didn’t have time to take out her daggers before the boar charged at her and slammed its mighty snout against her small body. It then scooped her off her feet and hurled her directly above. She yelped in horror as it opened its mouth in eager anticipation of its next meal falling squarely into its gullet. Before she knew it, total darkness overcame her.</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE: Apologies for the delay in uploading this chapter. I’m basically in the phase of the story where I need to improvise a lot of stuff, plus I was grinding like crazy in the GudaGuda Imperial Capital event. I managed to snag Majin Okita plus get Izo’s NP to level 5, so I’m happy with that. I’m <em>really</em> waiting for the Sigurd/Brynhildr/Valkyrie banner though – that’s when I’ll go crazy with the summoning and hopefully get the Norse OTP. But don’t worry, I’ll make progress with the story one way or another. Look forward to more twists and turns in this ‘summer event’ story!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Sword Emperor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 13: Sword Emperor</strong>
</p><p>Deep in the jungle, Jing Ke guided Gilgamesh to where she spotted the strange statue before. Of course they were harassed by several native Hermit Crabs and Bicorns, but they posed no threat to the Servants. They left their bloody messes behind and continued on their way, but with each passing step, the Babylonian king was growing more and more irate.</p><p>“How long do you plan on dragging me through this balmy waterscape, woman?” he demanded harshly.</p><p>“Come now, you ruled from Uruk in the middle of the desert, didn’t you? This kind of oppressive weather should be no big deal to you,” Jing Ke told him.</p><p>“I will have you know that summer was the season which made or broke entire nations. This insouciant excuse for modern society may have the technology to stave off such heat, but in my time, no such conveniences existed. I often dreaded the coming months when I knew that thousands of my people would succumb to the unrelenting heat, and had to plan for the autumn months knowing that Babylonia was going to incur such massive losses.”</p><p>“That’s a surprise. Considering you’re the tyrannical aspect of the King of Heroes, I didn’t expect you to be so concerned with your citizens’ welfare.”</p><p>“Don’t be so boorish. Each person was worth their weight in precious minerals, in as far as serving me to the best of their abilities. For those whom the summer heat claimed, it simply made life that much more problematic for me and my kingdom.”</p><p>“I had a feeling that was the case.”</p><p>Gilgamesh continued, “Can you imagine the number of conniving undertakers I had to deal with during the summer as they dared to con my people of their funds during such a dire time? Simply makes my blood boil just thinking about those schemers.”</p><p>“I suppose crime is a timeless aspect of human society.”</p><p>“That’s rich, coming from the failure of an assassin who attempted to murder the First Emperor of China. The only reason you have any semblance of value as a Heroic Spirit is due to the potential fluctuations in history your foolish actions would have caused.”</p><p>Jing Ke smirked and coolly retorted, “I suppose I should take that as a compliment.”</p><p>“Hmph. Do you plan on pulling off the same feat against me? Are you acting so coy because you think you have lured me into a similar sort of trap?”</p><p>“Nonsense. We’ve both been summoned by the same Master, and are thus bound to cooperate with each other. Just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, you have my word that I will concoct no such plan against you or any other royal Servant of Chaldea. No need for such tension when we should be taking it easy.”</p><p>“Hm… Very well. So long as you show me this bizarre effigy soon enough, I will overlook being in the presence of a famed assassin whilst suffering this stifling heat.”</p><p>Jing Ke frowned as she carefully looked around and said, “We’re literally within sight of it. It’s just rather well-hidden due to moss and foliage… Ah, found it.”</p><p>She brushed aside some lush leaves and revealed the carved stone idol. Indeed, it had blended in so well with the environment due to the thick layer of moss growing on its exterior that one could be forgiven for missing sight of it completely. Gilgamesh leaned down and examined it with his keen eyes. It didn’t really look like much at first glance, being just a slab of stone carved into the likeness of an old man crossing its arms in front of its chest. Something about the thin, sagging eyes and arched lips made it feel quite unnatural though. In fact, the longer he stared at it, the more its features appeared unholy and blasphemous to him.</p><p>After inspecting the figure, he stood back up and murmured to himself, “I see…”</p><p>“What do you make of this?” Jing Ke asked. “Could it be related to the Phantasmal that Connla was talking about?”</p><p>“It is difficult to say at this time. All I can be certain of is that I sense some kind of latent power emanating from it.”</p><p>“You noticed it too. I suppose it’s difficult for Servants not to sense it.”</p><p>“Indeed. Although it is faint, there is definitely mana from the local environment being drawn into this carving.”</p><p>“I wonder if some old culture lived here, and this is nothing more than a remnant of their existence.”</p><p>Gilgamesh shook his head. “I sincerely doubt that. This is European in origin. Pre-Christian, perhaps.”</p><p>Jing Ke widened her eyes. “An artifact from Europe’s pagan era? What is such a thing doing way out here in Okeanos?”</p><p>“Do I need to do all the thinking around here, mongrel? It should be plain as day that someone surreptitiously placed this here for some purpose, and it is still functioning as intended even as we speak.”</p><p>As they pondered this mystery, Gilgamesh’s transceiver beeped several times. He huffed in annoyance and flicked it on before responding, “It’s me. What do you want, mongrel?”</p><p><em>“This is Cuchulainn Proto!”</em> the Lancer’s flustered voice exclaimed on the other end. <em>“Emiya and I found a stone statue like Jing Ke was talking about!”</em></p><p>“Is that so? As I suspected, there are multiples of this idol scattered among Okeanos’ islands. The assassin showed me the one situated on this strip of land.”</p><p>
  <em>“I know this will come as a surprise to you, but it needs to be destroyed immediately!”</em>
</p><p>“Destroyed? What do you mean?” Jing Ke wondered, then paused when she heard some unusual noises coming from the background. Although it was faint, she could make out the sounds of clashing weapons, along with some kind of inhuman growling. She narrowed her eyes and asked, “Are you in the middle of battle?”</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah! Sorry, but no time to explain! Just get rid of it at once! Gwah!? Damn, you ugly bastard! TAKE THIS!”</em>
</p><p>The transmission crackled with loud static before cutting off, leaving the confused pair in total silence. Gilgamesh glanced over at the statue, then muttered, “Well now. If the dog knows what he’s talking about, then I will have to interrogate him at a later time. Loathe as I am to obey another’s suggestion, it would seem that there truly is no benefit to this artifact’s existence. How suitable, for the sight of such unpleasant craftsmanship grates my eyes.”</p><p>He opened one of his golden portals, and was about to extract a large broadsword out of it. However, the dirt in front of his feet suddenly blasted upward and showered him in soggy particles of mud and grass. He reeled in shock and stood back as he saw a large humanoid figure emerge from the ground and raise its clawed hand above its head, intent on slashing the Archer’s head clean off. Before it could strike him down though, Jing Ke instantly dashed between them and stabbed her knife into its chest. With its heart pierced, the monster stepped away before collapsing onto its back.</p><p>“I knew it,” she murmured darkly. “The stench of death hit my nose faster than a meteorite striking the earth.”</p><p>“What is the meaning of this?” Gilgamesh demanded, but soon got his answer when a horde of about 20 similar-looking humanoids crawled their way to the surface. The two Servants were forced away from the stone statue. The king chuckled in bemusement before exclaiming, “So you lot are guardians of that tasteless idol? How laughable!”</p><p>He raised his arm and commanded for more portals to open around him.</p><p>
  <em>“No one accosts the King of Uruk and lives to tell about it!”</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Back in Aspidochelone’s pulmonary region, the Demon Boar that had just swallowed Connla fell onto its stomach in exhaustion. Although its hunger was sated, it still suffered from bleeding wounds and numerous lacerations. Before finding the young Saber, it had been engaged in battle with a different Servant, and was forced to retreat after realizing that its opponent was far too powerful. Compared to its previous encounter, catching Connla while she was deep in thought was a much easier task for the monster.</p><p>However, its victory would be short-lived when it heard a pair of bare footsteps approach it from behind. A man with a deep baritone voice snarled, “So this is where you took off to.”</p><p>The Demon Boar glared back at the smug fellow. Standing before it was a man in his mid-20s with short blonde hair, bright red eyes, and a stubble on his chin. Massive scars covered his entire tanned body, including his face, and he bore these unsightly marks as proof of his heroic deeds with fighting against monsters like this one. He didn’t wear anything over his torso, and his blue jeans were somewhat torn at the bottom. He wielded a pair of large, gleaming swords in both hands, and the chain that attached them together dragged behind his heels.</p><p>“No point in running from me, fool,” he taunted the angry beast, “especially when the blood trail you leave behind is so obvious.”</p><p>“HRRRGH!”</p><p>“Heh heh. What’s the matter? Don’t like being another notch in the belt of a famous monster hunter like myself? Sorry to say, but the moment you met the Grendel Slayer Beowulf, your fate was sealed. Now, prepare to be beaten to death!”</p><p>The Demon Boar sensed his hostility and charged straight for him, bashing its long golden tusks against his blades. Beowulf confidently smirked as he glared into his enemy’s eyes. Then he used his raw strength to shove the monster aside, and it snorted in surprise. He leapt in high and balled his hand into a tight fist, then punched it right between the eyes. Although its skull was sturdy enough to withstand the blow, it found itself skidding back on its hooves. It stumbled to regain its balance, then roared before brushing its hoof against the ground multiple times.</p><p>Beowulf returned the gesture by getting into a traditional boxer’s stance and beckoning the beast to come at him. They stood there for a short while…</p><p>“BWUH… HEEEK!? GWEEEEEEE!?”</p><p>The warrior widened his eyes and wondered, “What’s going on?”</p><p>The monster shuddered for a few moments, then let out an even more shrill death cry and collapsed onto its side, shaking the ground around Beowulf. He glared at the now-dead beast with clenched teeth, both astonished and mystified as to how it died without him landing a fatal blow. His questions would soon be answered when he saw the boar’s abdomen suddenly bloat like a balloon, then detonate from something like a miniature explosion. Blood and guts spewed all over the ground. After a moment, someone crawled out of the cavity. Beowulf couldn’t resist gazing at the small figure that emerged from the behemoth beast.</p><p>“Phew,” Connla huffed and stood up before brushing herself off of blood.</p><p>“What… the <em>hell</em>?” the fighter murmured under his breath.</p><p>She didn’t notice him as she glared at the Demon Boar she killed and angrily grumbled to herself, “Geez! What is it with me and being eaten by monsters!? First a Demon Boar, then Aspidochelone, then another Demon Boar while inside Aspidochelone! Is this some kind of bad joke!?”</p><p>“Hey,” Beowulf tried to get her attention.</p><p>She was too miffed to hear him, and she continued, “If Teacher saw this, she would be most embarrassed with me. And Mother… Ugh, I don’t even want to imagine it…”</p><p>“Hellooo~ooo?”</p><p>“Oh well. More importantly, I need to get back in contact with Lord Gilgamesh. Just stick to the plan and-“</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“HEY! I’M TALKING TO YOU!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“KYAH!?” Connla shrieked and faced Beowulf, covering her mouth in total surprise. “Y-Y-Yes!? Can I help you!?”</p><p>“The hell is wrong with you!? Didn’t you notice me!?”</p><p>“Oh, um… I’m sorry, but I didn’t.”</p><p>“Good grief. I don’t really get what’s going on here, but I take it you just killed that Demon Boar from the inside, right?”</p><p>“It wasn’t really a big deal. Demon Boars may have tough hides, but their viscera are susceptible to even simple Ansuz spells.”</p><p>“How the hell did you wind up inside that thing’s gullet in the first place?”</p><p>“Isn’t it obvious? It blindsided me, then managed to swallow me whole. Luckily I placed some Runes on myself so that its stomach acids wouldn’t break me down while I was unconscious. Past experience, you see.”</p><p>She spread her arms out to show him various Celtic sigils etched around her body, and she dispelled them since she no longer needed them.</p><p>“Hmm,” the burly hero hummed, trying to make sense of her words. To him, it was completely weird that a little girl was talking about being eaten alive by Demon Boars multiple times as if it was the most normal thing in the world. But he couldn’t forget that, no matter how diminutive she looked compared to him, she was definitely a Servant. He flashed an unusual grin and said, “So I take it that you’re a good fighter, hm?”</p><p>“Well, um… I don’t know what you mean by ‘good’. I’ve fought plenty of Demon Boars in the Land of Shadows, but not a Phantasmal-level one by myself. Technically speaking, I haven’t officially graduated from my teacher’s tutelage.”</p><p>“The Land of Shadows, you say? Pretty sure that’s where the witch Scathach lives, right?”</p><p>“Yes. She was my mentor for a few years.”</p><p>“Ohhh… She was your teacher, you say,” Beowulf’s grin turned more pleased, and she noticed his strange shift in attitude. She knew his True Name and was familiar with his combat-loving personality, but was perplexed as to why he was smirking so impishly at her.</p><p>“Is something wrong?” she asked.</p><p>“I heard that she doesn’t accept many pupils.”</p><p>“Mm-hmm. She’s very selective in who she chooses to train.”</p><p>“So you’re one she chose…”</p><p>“Um… Yes, but…” Connla raised an eyebrow, now growing nervous from his increasingly elated behavior. “Why are you so concerned about Teacher?”</p><p>“Oh, no, no, no. It’s not Scathach I’m worried about. It’s just that-”</p><p>Without any sort of warning, the ecstatic Beowulf brandished his twin broadswords and slashed them at her. She let out a cry and deftly dodged the assault with several side flips, then screamed, “What do you think you’re doing!?”</p><p>“Can’t you tell? I’m challenging you to a fight.”</p><p>“What for!?”</p><p>“Now, now, don’t be so flustered. Think of it as a simple contest between warriors. There’s nothing you need to think about other than showing me what you’re capable of. I’ve been itching for a real battle way too long, so I’m sure you’ll satisfy me.”</p><p>“Hold on! Can’t we talk this out instead!?”</p><p>“If you want to talk with me, then use your sword! I may be more willing to listen if you do!”</p><p>Without warning, Beowulf rushed in low and slashed one of his swords at Connla. She deftly hopped over him and twisted so that she landed behind him. She took out her short swords and ranted, “Ugh, give me a break!”</p><p>He attempted to rush her down again, but this time she was ready for him. With the grace of flowing water, she sidestepped his thrust and twirled on her heel before slamming her other foot into his solar plexus, momentarily stunning him. Connla crouched for a second to build up strength in her legs, and one of her daggers glittered with sparkling lights that were as radiant as the sun. She jumped straight up and smashed her energized weapon against Beowulf’s face, performing a spectacular uppercut that sent him hurtling backwards upside-down. After landing, she glanced at her sword in surprise, not expecting to perform such a lethal attack.</p><p>He vaulted on his hands to regain his momentum, then quickly wiped his bleeding cheek before running at her again. She couldn’t think about what she did as she saw his balled fist rocketing for her stomach.</p><p>“Whoa!?” Connla shouted as she curved her abdomen inward as much as she could while jumping back to avoid Beowulf’s punch. Luckily for her, his fist just barely missed her by millimeters. She flew backwards about 50 feet before skidding to a stop on her toes. Although her abdomen felt sore from the shockwave, she was just happy it wasn’t blown apart into a mess of blood and guts.</p><p>
  <em>Wow, that was incredible! If I hadn’t already been leaping backwards, I would have been pulverized for sure!</em>
</p><p>“Heh,” Beowulf smirked. “Not bad for a kid. You might just be as cunning as Grendel.”</p><p>She ignored his attempt at a compliment and prayed for the radiant energy to return to her blades. It did, and she felt like she could match him in strength, if only temporarily. They dueled with their swords this time. Although her weapons were much smaller than his, somehow she could block his powerful blows without much ill-effect – something which she couldn’t do as a Lancer. She recalled her training with Jack and used that experience to plan her next move. As Beowulf tried to do a roundhouse kick to her shoulder, Connla ducked backwards beneath his leg and spun on her toes in a ridiculous contortion before sweeping her own leg against his.</p><p>“Gyuh!?” Beowulf snarled in frustration. He clenched his teeth hard as he lost his balance, and Connla stabbed her swords at his face multiple times. He jerked about to avoid being skewered, but her aim was so accurate that parts of his lower cheek were cleaved off as tiny pieces of meat.</p><p><strong><em>“DAMN YOU!</em></strong>” he screamed and smashed both of his swords, Hrunting and Naegling, into the ground. His raw power was sent through Aspidochelone’s solid flesh as a shockwave that barreled straight for her. She was thrown off her feet and flipped about backwards to regain her equilibrium. During her momentary loss of concentration, Beowulf leapt after her with a gleeful grin since he had her right where he wanted her. What he wasn’t expecting was that Connla would draw a quick Rune in the air, which became an invisible platform for no more than a few milliseconds. That was enough for her to step on the Rune and jump higher out of his intended reach before the spell disappeared.</p><p>“Shit!” he cursed, realizing she was way out of range for him to beat up in his current trajectory. “Think you can get the drop on me with your fancy witchcraft!?”</p><p>She didn’t retort, feeling it best not to give in to his bullying. She twirled to land on her feet, then silently faced him as he too descended. He raged, “All right, enough with these games! What Servant are you!? I’ve never heard of a child who can fight in close combat like you!”</p><p>“I get that a lot,” Connla admitted.</p><p>“I’ll bet! So you gonna tell me your True Name or what!?”</p><p>“That’s going to have to remain classified. Well, even if I was allowed to tell you, I certainly wouldn’t want to acquaint myself with someone as unpredictable as you. With your attitude, I’d have to sleep with one eye open all the time, and that’s not exactly a healthy way of living.”</p><p>“Tch. Got me there. Guess I have no choice but to beat that info out of you!”</p><p>Both of them got into their combat stances again. They would have initiated another duel, but then something unexpected happened.</p><p>“Uh-!?” both Servants yelped in confusion.</p><p>They had every right to. A radiant white light shone and crackled like lightning from above the hill, illuminating the area around the combatants. A stormy wind whirled around them, and a mixture of white lily petals and crimson spider lilies rushed past. Connla grew agitated and yelled, “<em>Now</em> what’s going on!?”</p><p>“Son of a bitch… Of <em>all</em> the places to run into that smug bastard!” Beowulf snarled betwixt his clenched teeth.</p><p>She wished she could ask him what he meant, but the rushing storm was too loud for her to speak over. However, someone else’s voice did manage to break through the cacophony:</p><p>“My blade sings of the Emperor’s rule over all the people of the continent! Behold my authority, and tremble at its might!”</p><p>The flower petals continued to dance around the pair, but then immediately stopped in midair and fluttered to the ground once the windstorm instantly ceased raging. The light became more and more concentrated until it was completely gathered upon a raised sword that someone was wielding. Connla had no idea who he was, but judging from the broad grin this unknown man possessed, he clearly harbored malicious intentions against them.</p><p><em>“Demon Sword,</em> <strong><em>FLORENT!</em></strong>”</p><p>The brilliant white sword gradually took on a blood-red hue in the core as the unknown Servant swung his blade in a wide arc and unleashed all of the contained energy into a focused beam of radiant light, complete with swirls of flower petals and sparking volts that materialized around the deadly projectile. Once they heard the Noble Phantasm’s True Name, Connla and Beowulf immediately dashed in opposite directions away from the epicenter of the blast.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>KA-FOOOOOM!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>While Beowulf violently tumbled across the ground, the wind was so powerful that it literally scooped Connla off her feet and tossed her like garbage caught in a vicious tornado. The incredible explosion lasted for well over a minute. Once the cacophony died down, all that remained was a gigantic crater in the area where the Servants had been previously fighting, along with remnants of burnt petals littering the hole. Connla had blacked out for that brief time, but quickly regained her senses and turned onto her side. She vaguely recalled that she had been thrown against the wall several hundred meters away and collapsed onto her back.</p><p>“Ugh…” she moaned and squinted to block out the last of the light. She waited for her vision to return to normal, then stared over at the hill where she found the third Servant standing proudly while admiring the destruction he caused.</p><p>
  <em>Florent… Haven’t I heard that somewhere before?</em>
</p><p>Connla struggled to remember. For some reason, her mind kept wandering back to Mordred.</p><p>
  <em>Sir Mordred… Wait, isn’t her sword called Clarent? That beam-like Noble Phantasm was very similar to hers too…</em>
</p><p>Although the light certainly looked like it came from a holy sword, she had to remember that the man outright called his blade a demonic sword. The searing energy was not supposed to be benevolent in nature – it was a symbol of unbridled power and authority, and if anyone attempted to question the wielder’s sovereignty, they would suffer a most humiliating punishment. That kind of arrogance could be symbolized by the red tint that threatened to overtake the blinding ivory light, like blood staining a perfectly white dress. As for the flower petals, it was simply the blessing of the goddess Flora, who reigned over flowers and all plant-based life, that granted the blade’s user immeasurable power.</p><p>Connla recalled what Mordred told her about Clarent’s symbolism;</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, I remember when I took Clarent out of the armory. Mother told me that I had the right to wield it since it represents the succession of kingship, and is said to be equal to Caliburn. Now that I think about kingship though, Father mentioned that Clarent has a brother sword in Rome, like how Excalibur Galatine is to Excalibur. I believe it was called-”</em>
</p><p>It finally clicked in Connla’s mind.</p><p>
  <em>Florent!</em>
</p><p>She stumbled to her feet and slowly headed toward where the unknown Servant was.</p><p>
  <em>So then this person must be of Roman descent. And if Clarent and Florent both represent sovereignty, it must mean I’m dealing with a Roman Emperor of some kind who lived during the Arthurian age.</em>
</p><p>Unfortunately, she wasn’t as well-versed with Roman history as she would have liked, so she wanted to at least meet this Servant and find out what his purpose was for attacking her and Beowulf. As she made her way up the hill though, she saw that Beowulf had already recovered from his own tumble and was taking his frustrations out on the newcomer. He attempted to cleave his swords through the armored fellow’s head, but his opponent merely grinned at his audacity and parried with both grace and power.</p><p>“You son of a bitch!” the Scandinavian hero cursed. “What the hell is wrong with you!? Can’t you tell that I was busy fighting another Rogue Servant!?”</p><p>“I already know that,” the Roman warrior declared. “I actually watched for a little bit, if only to relish in observing such a famous hero getting his ass handed to him by a small child.”</p><p>“Well I sure hope you got your kicks, because I’m gonna beat <em>you</em> up next!”</p><p>“Hmph. What drudgery.”</p><p>The two men slashed their swords against each other, then they hopped back a few feet and glared at each other with intense bloodlust. The Roman tapped Florent over his shoulder and smirked, “But I’m afraid I have no time to spare for these petty little games. You two were bold enough to block my path, so I opted to clean up the area of such refuse lest either of you wound up soiling my armor.”</p><p>“You could have found a different way around us, asshole!” Beowulf snapped.</p><p>“When I decide on a path to walk, all others should promptly get out of my way. You’re a king, aren’t you? You should understand my sentiment.”</p><p>“Sorry, but I don’t go for the whole ‘god complex’ schtick like you Romans do. ‘Sides, this form is from my youth, way before I took the throne.”</p><p>“A real shame that you don’t understand how honored you are to be in the presence of a deity that has taken on human shape.”</p><p>Beowulf chuckled, then retorted, “That’s rich, coming from the one Triumvirate who was essentially exiled for being such a useless waste of space.”</p><p>The armored fellow took great offense to that as he exclaimed, “<em>I was NOT exiled!</em> I am merely depriving Nero and Caesar of my presence so that their chances of winning the war will be greatly reduced! I will tell you this right here and now; I am more than perfectly capable of establishing my own reign and conquering those fools myself!”</p><p>“Right, keep telling yourself that. I’ll just enjoy watching you fail spectacularly from the sidelines.”</p><p>Both men fiercely glared at each other, practically just one twitch away from engaging in another violent brawl. Their constricted blood vessels looked like they would burst at any moment.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“That’s enough, both of you!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Connla’s voice broke through the tension, and the two warriors suddenly had to leap back when she summoned Lugh’s Halo and hurled it between them to force them apart. The flaming wheel returned to her and disappeared in a fiery burst, then she approached them and exclaimed, “Let’s just calm ourselves down first! All of us are clearly tired and upset, so we need to take a moment to settle our nerves and get our stories straight.”</p><p>“Well, I don’t mind telling you my side of things, but hell if I’m going to let that arrogant ass hear a word I have to say,” Beowulf snapped.</p><p>Connla looked over at the red-haired man, who had grown strangely quiet for some reason. Then she said to Beowulf, “No complaining. If there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s chaos. I might not know everything that’s going on here, but obviously everyone is living in some state of pandemonium. I want to sort things out and get to the bottom of this mess if I have any hope of escaping this place.”</p><p>“Hm…” the blonde-haired hero murmured to himself. Then he grinned and said, “So you want to escape too, huh? Maybe I could give you a lending hand with that.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I’m a Rogue Servant who wants to find the rumored exit out of this hellhole. I thought for sure it was a myth and that I’d have to sell my strength to one of the factions, but if a fresh face like you is saying it exists, then I’m not gonna give up the search.”</p><p>“Wait, you’re Rogue too? Did you happen to meet another Servant who calls herself Heroine X?”</p><p>“Oh, so you bumped into that weirdo too? What a coincidence. She and I are the only Servants who are not allied with any of the nations established here.”</p><p>“Then I suppose you could add myself and my two friends to that list as well.”</p><p>Beowulf smirked, “So that makes five of us. Suddenly I feel pumped enough to punch a Phantasmal in the face.”</p><p>Connla glanced away and thought, <em>Oh, if only he knew we were inside one right now…</em></p><p>The Scandinavian swordsman asked her, “So where are your friends?”</p><p>“I’m afraid that’s going to have to wait for later. First of all,” she replied and approached the red-haired fellow, “I need to know who you are and what your story is.”</p><p>“Hmph,” he scoffed. “Normally I would decry your ignorance, but since you are new to this land, I have no choice but to pardon your lack of respect. However, there is one thing I want you to make clear for me.”</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“That wheel of fire you threw at us… That wasn’t Lugh’s Halo, was it?”</p><p>“It certainly was. I have no idea why I’m able to wield it, but-“</p><p>“Good enough for me.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Connla uttered, totally baffled by his sudden change in attitude.</p><p>“Hoh? What is this?” Beowulf wondered coyly. “Getting soft because you’re dealing with a kid?”</p><p>“Shut it, cretin,” the armored warrior barked. “Anyone who has an affiliation with the god I’m named after is worthy of my time.”</p><p>Connla raised an eyebrow and asked, “The god you’re named after?”</p><p>“That’s right! You appear to be unfamiliar with me, so an introduction is in order. I am none other than Lucius Tiberius, the Sword Emperor who ruled during the Arthurian Age and demanded fealty from King Arthur himself.”</p><p>“Lucius Tiberius? Hmm… mmm… My apologies, but I’m afraid I haven’t heard that name before.”</p><p>“Tch. Your cluelessness astounds me. Well, I suppose it would be too much to ask of a small child to be well-versed in every facet of human history. More to the point though, I am a former member of Roma’s Triumvirate.”</p><p>“The Triumvirate, huh?” the young Saber muttered, then thought, <em>Now that I think about it, Lady Wu never mentioned anyone named Lucius. She said that Nero, Caesar and Cleopatra are the current leaders of Roma. Could something have happened between Lucius and the other Romans to cause him to leave?</em></p><p>Lucius continued, “You heard me tell that scarred brute about my intentions, didn’t you? Instead of ponying up to that prancing halfwit Nero, I have decided to sever ties with that farce of a nation she dares attribute the name Roma to, and seek to establish my own faction that will show the <em>true</em> glory of the Roman Empire.”</p><p>“So you were on your way to search for unclaimed territory to establish your base?”</p><p>“Precisely.”</p><p>Beowulf shrugged and retorted, “What a waste of time. For all I know and care, you’re just populating a new pond of fish so that the sharks can eat them later.”</p><p>Lucius boldly laughed. “Fwa hah hah hah! Balderdash! This may be difficult for a lower being to comprehend, but I do have a plan in mind! I have heard whispers of a rumored undiscovered treasure vault located somewhere in this endlessly winding world of caverns! If I can claim that as my property, then I will have no need to worry about running out of resources and resorting to sacrifices! With such plentiful wealth on my side, my glorious empire will swallow those sideshow nations like ants!”</p><p>“The treasure vault, you say? I’ve heard stories about it too, but to see a high-and-mighty emperor resort to chasing after fairy tales is just sad.”</p><p>“Spare me your pity, lummox. If my instincts tell me to search for it, then search for it I shall!”</p><p>Suddenly, Connla spoke up, “You’re looking for that room with all the treasure in it? I passed by it earlier.”</p><p>Both Lucius and Beowulf’s eyes looked like they would fall out of their sockets as they stared at the girl in sheer disbelief. The Roman instantly snatched her shoulders and glared at her with bloodshot eyes as he raged, “<em>YOU FOUND IT!?</em>”</p><p>“Eh? Ah, um, well… I think so…?”</p><p>
  <em>“Where is it!? Show it to me at once!”</em>
</p><p>“O-Okay! Just stop grabbing me so hard!”</p><p>“Heeeh! This is getting pretty interesting!” Beowulf remarked and folded his arms. “I haven’t felt this excited in years! If you can prove that this vault is real, then there’s a good chance you could help me find an exit out of this world too! I’m gonna go with you guys, whether you like it or not!”</p><p>“I don’t care what you do!” Lucius exclaimed, then pointed at Connla. “You! Child! Guide me to this mythical treasure trove! NOW!”</p><p>“Yes, sir! Just follow me!” she sbarked, then took the lead back to where she, Jack and Nursery passed through Aspidochelone’s small intestine. She had to cut through the fleshy walls several times to reveal passageways that the men would never have found by themselves. This got them thinking about whether there were other hidden secrets they could discover like this, but for now, they needed to stick close to Connla to make sure her claims were true.</p><p>While they were walking, Beowulf said to her, “By the way, I don’t think you actually got to mention your True Name yet. Who are you, anyway?”</p><p>“Oh, um… Well, I’m afraid I can’t tell you. It’s not out of disrespect or anything. I just have a geas that forbids me from saying my name to anyone.”</p><p>“A geas, huh? So you’re definitely a Celtic Servant.”</p><p>Lucius barked, “Of course she is! No one but a Celt can wield Lugh’s Halo like that!”</p><p>“The heck is that thing supposed to be anyway?”</p><p>“Ridiculous! Am I the <em>only</em> one who knows anything around here!? It’s none other than the halo that Cuchulainn used to burn an endless swamp so that he could pass through to the Land of Shadows! It’s supposed to be one of the God of Light’s many gifts to his son, the Child of Light!”</p><p>“Hm. I don’t seem to recall hearing such a legend. In any case, doesn’t that mean the kid is some female interpretation of Cuchulainn then?”</p><p>Lucius stared at Connla for a moment, then murmured, “Maybe? But then, I’m getting this nagging feeling like I’ve heard something about you before…”</p><p>She told him, “I can’t say my name, but I can tell you that Lugh is my grandfather.”</p><p>“Seriously!? You’re Lugh’s granddaughter!?” the emperor exclaimed, apparently pleased from hearing this news. He then parsed his eyebrows and murmured, “Wait a minute… Lugh’s son was Setanta, better known as Cuchulainn, and when he trained under Scathach, he… Oh? Ohhh!? That’s it! You’re Connla, aren’t you!?”</p><p>She was absolutely dumbstruck when Lucius stated her name. “Eh!? You know about me!?”</p><p>“Of course I do! Hah hah hah! What good fortune I have! I truly am blessed to be served by the scion of Lugh, the very god I am named after!”</p><p>While the girl was surprised, Beowulf frowned and asked, “Connla? Who is that supposed to be?”</p><p>“You imbecile!” Lucius shouted. “She’s Cuchulainn’s only son, who likewise trained under Scathach! Her legend probably isn’t as famous as her father’s, but she’s cursed with three geasa, one of which prevents her from saying her True Name. When she came of age, she traveled to Ireland to meet her father, but because of the nature of her curses and his unfaltering loyalty to Ulster, they had to fight each other. Connla was so fearsomely strong that she wound up being the second person ever slain by Gae Bolg, only because Cuchulainn was pressured into using it. After slaying her, he found out too late that he had killed his own child.”</p><p>“I see, I see. Now it makes sense. So she wasn’t lying when she said Scathach was her teacher.”</p><p>Connla pouted, “Why would I lie about such a thing? Honestly…”</p><p>They continued conversing with each other like this as they progressed through the twisting tunnels.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Hidden Enemy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 14: The Hidden Enemy</strong>
</p><p>“Ungh! Get out of my sight, you ass-ugly lumps of flesh!” Cuchulainn Prototype snarled. He cleaved Gae Bolg through a humanoid monster’s neck, swiftly decapitating it in one motion.</p><p>“Hah!” Emiya cried out as he carved his twin sabers through another creature, slicing and dicing it into clean chunks of meat not unlike how he would butcher a slab of beef in the kitchen.</p><p>Both men were presently on one of Okeanos’ smaller northwestern islands, said to be a mountainous den of wyverns that no human dared approach. Upon Gilgamesh’s order, Cuchulainn and Emiya partnered up to explore this land in search of anything suspicious. During their investigation, they found an identical stone statue to the one Gilgamesh and Jing Ke discovered. Upon seeing it, Cuchulainn’s behavior dramatically escalated to abject anxiety, and he had attempted to destroy the idol without explaining anything to Emiya first. Unfortunately for them, this earned them the ire of a horde of similar monsters like the ones that ambushed the others.</p><p>During the fierce battle, Cuchulainn managed to make contact with Gilgamesh and warned him about the statue’s threat. He couldn’t say much more than that once a ghoulish fiend rushed at him and tried to bash his head off with its spiked club. It managed to knock the transceiver out of his hands though, and it was subsequently beheaded.</p><p>Emiya landed next to the annoyed Cuchulainn and quipped, “Well, well. I’d say we found something quite suspicious. I’m still rather perplexed as to what’s going on here though.”</p><p>“No need to think about it! Just rush ‘em down, then smash that statue to smithereens! Once it’s gone, we should be in the clear!”</p><p>“Hmph. I’m not fond of fighting battles without any context to go on, but I can approve of such a simple strategy as well. Very well, I’ll just follow your lead and handle the rear.”</p><p>“Right!” Cuchulainn agreed, then charged at the nearest monsters and expertly flailed his spear about to force them back. Emiya flipped backwards and leapt high, then summoned his bow and projected a miniature Caladbolg as his arrow. He drew the string back, then let his weapon soar over the battlefield. It shot toward three creatures and exploded in a flash of azure light, sublimating them into dust. While the surviving monsters were stunned, Cuchulainn swept in like a gust of wind and rushed past them while swiping Gae Bolg about. A moment later, they dropped dead after their stomachs had been carved wide open.</p><p>With the majority of the creatures dead, Cuchulainn was free to run up to the green glowing stone idol perched within a small grotto. He energized his weapon, then shouted, <strong><em>“Gae Bolg!”</em></strong></p><p>His spear pierced through the stone, and it cracked into pieces before bursting apart and clattering over the ground. Any remaining monsters suddenly cried out in anguish as their bodies twisted and contorted into hideous distortions before detonating in gory bursts of dark blood. The Servants waited to see if anything else would happen, but all that greeted them was the ocean breeze.</p><p>Emiya dematerialized his swords and muttered, “Looks like you were right. Their life essences were directly tied to the statue. But how did you know that in the first place?”</p><p>“I’d recognize that thing anywhere,” Cuchulainn said as he glared at the effigy’s remnants. “I’d gladly explain, but I think it’d be better if everyone was present before I went into the details.”</p><p>“I suppose that would be more expedient. Perhaps we should concentrate on warning the other groups first. They will have likely encountered similar beings such as those.”</p><p>The Celt picked up the transmitter and said, “I already told Gilgamesh, but I’m worried about everyone else being swarmed by these things.”</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“GOLDEN SPAAAARK!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Kintoki plummeted straight down upon a group of humanoid creatures and slammed his electrified axe into the ground. The creatures flew everywhere, as if Kintoki was a large stone that broke through water and sent massive ripples of monsters scattering about. The blonde Berserker huffed in annoyance as he glared at another wave of creatures, and he exclaimed, “Shit! Just how many of these abominations are there!?”</p><p>Boudica thrust her long sword through a ghoul’s stomach. To her shock, it didn’t seem perturbed by her lethal attack and actually clenched its hand around the much smaller blade. She struggled to extract it, but wasn’t strong enough to do so. She gazed up in surprise as her opponent raised its giant sword and tried to cut her down. Suddenly, several well-aimed bullets pierced through its skull and killed it before it even knew what happened. The ghoul collapsed, allowing Boudica to retrieve her weapon. She faced Nightingale and exclaimed, “Thanks for that save!”</p><p>The nurse reloaded her pistol and replied, “It is simply my duty to reduce the number of patients that need treatment.”</p><p>While she was preoccupied, she failed to notice another monster lurch in from behind. Boudica gasped and raised her hand while shouting, <strong><em>“Chariot of Boudica!”</em></strong></p><p>A large wooden wheel materialized and shielded Nightingale from the creature’s swinging club. The irate Berserker snarled and jumped over before grabbing the sides of its head and vaulting over it upside-down. She then twisted her body so that she snapped its spine and virtually turned its skull 180 degrees. She landed behind the collapsing monster and sighed in relief.</p><p>“Looks like the favor has been repaid,” Nightingale said.</p><p>“You need to take care of yourself too, you know,” Boudica chided. “What would we do if we lost one of our best medical professionals?”</p><p>“I know that. It’s just that excising these sentient tumors is proving to be a greater hassle than I expected.”</p><p>The two women glared as more ghouls emerged from the ground. Kintoki rejoined them, but was breathing hard after having to use his Noble Phantasm for the third time in a row. The three Servants were unsure of what to do next – either continue fighting, or flee and come up with a better plan. However, they didn’t have to worry about it for very long. The ghouls unexpectedly stopped advancing and yelled in anguish before disintegrating in bursts of blood and guts.</p><p>Kintoki dropped his jaw and blurted, “What’s going on!?”</p><p>A third woman’s voice declared, “They’ve lost their link with the statue.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>They discovered Mata Hari approaching them with a calm smile. She gestured to the stone idol that had been placed within the middle of the jungle, now smashed into indiscernible pieces. While the others had been preoccupied with fighting the monsters, the female spy snuck away to destroy the figurine. Her action wound up saving them, but no one was sure how or why it happened.</p><p>Mata Hari explained, “My apologies for not being much of a fighter. However, I received word from Cu Proto about what we were dealing with. He said that demolishing the statue was our only hope for survival, so I did exactly that.”</p><p>Nightingale remarked, “I see. So the real illness was hiding itself in plain sight. I had been wasting my time dealing with the encroachment rather than the origin.”</p><p>“Hey, don’t blame yourself,” Boudica assured. “None of us had any idea.”</p><p>Kintoki looked around, then wondered, “So what’s next, ladies? Now that we know what to do, should we look for more of them, or should we head back and hear what the Golden Boss has to say?”</p><p>“I think we should return and rest for a bit. That battle depleted a lot of my prana stores.”</p><p>“Good idea. I might be a famous oni hunter, but even I know my limits. Besides, I don’t want the nurse-lady to go crazy because I pushed myself too hard.”</p><p>“I think you already have,” Nightingale retorted. “Perhaps a massage would do you wonders.”</p><p>Kintoki stepped away and shouted, “Hell no! Not after seeing you twist that freak’s head clean off!”</p><p>“Pay it no mind. I wouldn’t use that kind of strength on a patient.”</p><p>
  <em>“Yes, you would!”</em>
</p><p>As they argued, Boudica asked Mata Hari, “Did Proto say anything about what the monsters were?”</p><p>The spy frowned and said, “I’m afraid he didn’t have the time. I think he was in a hurry to warn everyone else.”</p><p>“I’m curious to hear what he has to say. For now, let’s just go back.”</p>
<hr/><p>Meanwhile, a similar battle was taking place on the island directly northeast from the main isle the Servants were vacationing at. Nitocris performed some gymnastic-like flips to gain momentum so that she could whip her leg against the nape of a ghoul’s neck. It smashed face-first into the sand with such ferocity that it scattered particles several feet around it. Two more monsters lumbered toward her, but she summoned some golden scarabs and commanded them to assail the enemy. She forced the ghouls to gather into one spot, which was exactly what Ozymandias needed.</p><p>“Hah hah!” he laughed as he tapped his staff on the ground. Multiple light beams flared around the confused creatures and ruthlessly incinerated them. Several more humanoids emerged from the sand, but he scoffed at their futile efforts and generated another searing laser that effortlessly carved through them.</p><p>“How gutless these pitiful demons are!” Ozymandias commented. “If this is the best they can offer, then they simply waste my time!”</p><p>“Even so, their numbers refuse to decrease,” Nitocris murmured. She narrowed her eyes and glared at the stone effigy as it glowed an ominous deep green color. More monsters had it surrounded, acting as a barrier so that neither of the Pharaohs could get close. A slight smile crept on her lips as she added, “Still, it is fortunate that our enemy lacks intelligence. By guarding that false idol with their very lives, they have thus betrayed their very weakness.”</p><p>“Undoubtedly so,” the Sun King agreed. “Normally I would humor such effort and work my way through them, but it would seem that statue is connected to the problems that currently assail us.”</p><p>“Might you know what it is, my liege?”</p><p>“I am unaware of its origin. However, I can sense invisible threads of mana worming their way through the ether. They are being guided to somewhere deep below the seas, and that is precisely where the children are said to be currently imprisoned. If the Child of Cuchulainn claimed that they were inside a massive Phantasmal, then it stands to reason that such a beast would require a proportionate amount of mana to sustain its existence.”</p><p>“I see. As expected, you have immediately understood the crisis we are facing.”</p><p>“Should the statue that the Chinese assassin shows the Golden King be identical in nature, I am sure he will have pieced together this mystery as well.”</p><p>Nitocris then asked, “So what should be done? If our intent is to force Aspidochelone to the surface, would it be possible to control it from here?”</p><p>Ozymandias shook his head and said, “No. This is nothing more than one of multiple mana supplies. I suspect that is the case with any other statues scattered along Okeanos, which means the real controller is elsewhere. There is no merit in allowing this repulsive idol to exist, so severing its tie with the Phantasmal will suffice.”</p><p>“Understood. I will clean out these repugnant horrors. In my humble opinion, the honor of destroying the statue should be yours. Of course, you’re not willing to do so, then-”</p><p>“Worry not. I will do this most pleasant deed.”</p><p>Nitocris nodded, then raised her staff so that a pitch-black rift opened up behind her. The Egyptian god of death Anubis emerged, and she called out, <strong><em>“Anpu Neb Ta Djeser!”</em></strong></p><p>A winged halo formed over Anubis, then numerous skull-like heads wafted out of the portal and swarmed the strange humanoids like vicious snakes pouncing on unsuspecting mice. Some of the ghouls immediately died upon contact with the ghostly skulls, while others were chomped and chewed relentlessly. This cleared the way for Ozymandias to thrust his arms upward and call upon his own guardian; the Sphinx of Abu el-Hol, or the Lion-Bodied Beast of the Hot Sands. A quadrupedal creature materialized like a ghost, with a blank-faced body that always showed a projection of the galaxy.</p><p>“Know what happens to fools who insult the Pharaoh!” Ozymandias’ voice boomed over the cacophony. He thrust his crooked staff forth, and the large Sphinx raised its claws for a moment. The talons turned bright red and sizzled from an intense heat burning within them. With one motion, it swiped its claws at the statue and pulverized it into useless fragments. The Pharaoh smirked as he sensed the invisible mana threads disappear, and the ghouls who guarded the idol rapidly died off.</p><p>Ozymandias grinned and muttered, “Hmph. How disappointing. They were completely frail in comparison to my absolute power.”</p>
<hr/><p>Back on the main island, Gilgamesh was in a similar jovial mood to Ozymandias. He couldn’t resist laughing at the monsters’ feeble attempts at swarming him, only for them to be mercilessly skewered by dozens of weapons that he hurled from Gate of Babylon. He hardly even moved from his spot this whole time, content with watching his unknown enemies be slaughtered from a safe distance. The same couldn’t be said for Jing Ke as she leapt up some nearby trees to escape being swarmed to death. She latched onto a branch and swung around 360 degrees before falling upon a ghoul and jamming her knife directly through its skull and brain. She couldn’t relish in her victory as she tumbled away from a swinging spiked club that liquefied the monster she just killed.</p><p>“Quite the nuisance these creatures are,” Jing Ke admitted, then looked over at the stone effigy. “Despite Cu Proto’s advice giving us a tactical advantage, I cannot hope to get in close enough to carve that thing into pieces.”</p><p>“Pah,” Gilgamesh scoffed. “Just about what I’d expect from a third-rate slinker of the shadows. Remember this well, woman – for this generosity that I am to display here and now, I expect your full cooperation as a supplier of high-quality alcohol.”</p><p>“Oh, really? You just want me to bring a bunch of booze to you? You don’t expect me to kiss your feet and brown-nose you at every turn?”</p><p>“Understanding the quality of alcohol is perhaps the only trait I find worthwhile about you.”</p><p>“Heh heh. What a roundabout way of calling me a drunkard. Well, I suppose I can share in your sentiment of enjoying the material things in life. I can’t promise much for other cultures, but I know you won’t be disappointed in what China and Japan have to offer. That, I will give you my word for.”</p><p>Satisfied with her answer, Gilgamesh smirked and summoned about 100 portals around him. The sight was so magnificent that it blinded the approaching horde of demons. Without saying a word, he thrust his arm forth and sent countless weapons barreling for them. What followed for the next 30 seconds was an unspeakably vicious storm of blades, blood, and body parts. Jing Ke couldn’t pull her eyes away from the spectacle, now understanding that she would <em>really</em> have to make good on her end of the bargain.</p><p>Soon, the King of Heroes ceased his attack and observed the carnage he caused. Every ghoul in the vicinity had been butchered into pieces. Any trees that were nearby had their trunks demolished, causing them to fall everywhere. Most importantly though, the figurine that had been summoning its otherworldly guardians simply no longer existed. Neither Servant would be able to find even pebbles that once comprised the effigy.</p><p>“It is done,” Gilgamesh muttered and calmly walked away.</p><p>“So, what’s next on the agenda?” Jing Ke wondered.</p><p>“If the Celtic dog’s words are anything to go by, then there must be multiples of that abominable idol supplying something or someone with mana. By my estimation, it must be for the Phantasmal that the runt and her companions are currently stranded within.”</p><p>“That makes sense. If it’s large enough for them to actually live inside, then it needs to be anchored in the human world through a method such as this.”</p><p>“Indeed. If the other search groups do not happen upon these ‘control points’, then it is my duty to coordinate another investigation so that the remainder of them can be eliminated. Let us return to the home base and see what the other mongrels have to say for themselves.”</p>
<hr/><p>Deep within the center of Okeanos, lighting storms constantly raged over the ocean and obscured the skies with gloomy dark clouds. If a sailor was not careful, they would wind up being caught in perhaps the worst sailing experiences of their life. Fortunately for Cuchulainn Alter, he was swimming far below the turbulent tides as he scoured the ocean floor. He sometimes needed to resurface for air, but since he was bonded with the sea demon Curruid’s bones, his lung capacity was much greater compared to other Servants’. The design of his wide, spiked tail helped him torpedo through the water as well, so it only took him around an hour to investigate each of Okeanos’ submerged regions before moving on to the next one.</p><p>So far, Cuchulainn had not found anything worth his time. Even though it was probably suicide, he especially wanted to find this rumored sea turtle Phantasmal and engage in battle with it. Maybe a singularly Gae Bolg to its face would not be enough, but since becoming a Berserker, his version of the cursed spear was more Anti-Army in nature, sacrificing the reversal of cause and effect in exchange for being able to cover a much wider range. He figured that using an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm against Aspidochelone’s brain would destroy it better than the Anti-Personnel version of Gae Bolg.</p><p>The trouble was actually finding the beast. While Gilgamesh had described the Phantasmal as having a head as large as a football field, it was surprisingly elusive. Each time Cuchulainn turned up empty-handed, his frustration would intensify all that more. He kept wondering how such a gargantuan monster could surface, swallow the child Servants, then dive back down as if it had never existed. The only things that annoyed him more were not knowing what the hell was going on, and why a Phantasmal would target his daughter.</p><p>
  <em>Connla… You better be doing okay…</em>
</p><p>Cuchulainn had to shake those thoughts away. The more he worried about her, the less he could focus on the search. He continued swimming through schools of fish like a dart, and even had to kill a shark that was intent on eating him. He abandoned the profusely bleeding corpse so that other sharks would be distracted with its fallen brethren as he continued onward.</p><p>About 15 minutes later, Cuchulainn reached a sunken cavern where a large coral reef was growing nearby. Now that he was out of Okeanos’ constantly stormy region, the sun could shine upon this elegant scenery. Everything around him glowed bright aqua, and the water was practically clearer than glass. Rays of sunlight reached down for him, and the tides rippled high above him. However, the beautiful landscape barely interested him. What had actually caught his attention was a peculiar deep green glow that didn’t match the aquatic landscape whatsoever. While the ocean was full of life and color, this statue emanated an aura of death and darkness.</p><p>Once he made out the figurine’s details, Cuchulainn became increasingly shocked. He bared his sharp teeth and widened his eyes as he thought, <em>What the hell is </em>this<em> doing here!?</em></p><p>His entire body trembled with horror. Just like with Proto, Alter immediately understood the origin of this idol and was absolutely astonished by it. Without thinking about anything else, he brandished Gae Bolg and was about to demolish it. However, a deep guttural growl echoed throughout the ocean, scaring dozens of fish and other underwater life away until he was all alone. He glared into the pitch-dark cavern for a moment. A peculiar light glowed in the darkness. Then, only two words came to mind:</p><p>
  <em>Aw, shit.</em>
</p><p>He had to immediately swim back to avoid being devoured whole by a nightmarish mansion-sized fish that emerged from its nest. Once it showed itself in the light, Cuchulainn could make out its features better. In short, it didn’t look much different than a deep sea dragonfish, complete with a bioluminescent barbell hanging from its jaw. This was the source of the second weird light that he witnessed, and he understood that the monster had been trying to lure him inside the cavern so it could eat him. Unlike a regular fish though, this one had layers of steel-like scales covering its hide, and there was only one huge beady eyeball on its forehead rather than two.</p><p>Cuchulainn wielded Gae Bolg in both hands, then swam straight for the cyclops fish and scraped his weapon against its armor. The hide wasn’t even scratched, and he whirled around to make another pass at his enemy. It deftly turned back and thrust its wide open jaw at him. Before he knew it, he found himself engulfed right inside its mouth, and he used all of his strength to force the jaws open so he could escape. A tense moment later, he jabbed one of his spiked heels into the creature’s tongue, startling it so that he could break free.</p><p>
  <em>Damn it! I can’t get in close like this!</em>
</p><p>He winced and lunged aside to avoid being rammed by the oncoming enemy. It smashed into the coral reef, and pieces of colorful stones plummeted as it faced him again. Cuchulainn quickly glanced back at the glowing statue and noticed something peculiar; both it and the monster were shining the same color. He realized that there had to be a connection between them, as if the fish was supposed to be guarding the figurine.</p><p>He smirked and thought, <em>Okay, then. If my ugly friend here can’t be killed directly, let’s see what happens when I get rid of its power source.</em></p><p>He turned on his side and shot for the unguarded statue like a rocket. The monster took chase. It closed the distance between them so rapidly that he couldn’t think about anything other than reaching his goal first. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be able to get there in time before the fish could catch up to him. He blanked his mind and threw Gae Bolg like a javelin at the statue. The spear pierced through the water until it smashed against the idol. Suddenly, the monster squealed and crashed against the bedrock, narrowly sparing Cuchulainn as he fervently swam away. He looped around and got directly in front of his enemy’s singular eye, then dug his talons into its face and snatched the eyeball.</p><p>
  <em>How do you like me now, punk!?</em>
</p><p>Cuchulainn violently wrenched the eye out of its socket, and the monster howled in agony. He raised his hand to the side and silently commanded for Gae Bolg to return to him. Once reunited with his weapon, he thrust the blade into the spot where the eye previously was, successfully puncturing its brain. He left it to sink to the bottom before it disintegrated into miniscule particles. He ignored it and sunk down to where the statue once stood, then picked up a large chuck and carefully examined it.</p><p>
  <em>Fucking hell. I knew it – this is something that doesn’t belong in Okeanos.</em>
</p><p>The Berserker shook his head in dismay, now growing even more concerned for Connla and her friends. He had noticed the unseen threads of mana connecting the statue to something located deeper in the ocean, too far underwater for him to swim to safely without suffering from potential explosive decompression. He knew where Aspidochelone was now, but the Phantasmal was simply out of his grasp… and with it, the children’s safety.</p><p>Cuchulainn stared down at the haunting abyss, unable to ignore the dread welling within him. So many thoughts ran rampant that he couldn’t concentrate on the search anymore. Even so, he had found a vital clue that could help him get the kids back. With him being so worked up, he figured he should return to the main island and sort things through with his allies.</p><p>
  <em>Just be patient, kid. I’ll get you out of there soon enough.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>“Geh… Gee hee hee hee hee… <em>Gyah hah hah hah hah hah! <strong>FWAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!</strong></em>”</p><p>Lucius was running around the place like a total madman. His giddy chuckling quickly escalated to full-blown laughter as he ran his fingers through a pile of gold coins and expensive jewelry. He continuously darted from one pile to the next to examine their contents, so it didn’t take him long to hurry off into the distance. Off to the side, Beowulf was also quite impressed with the heaps of treasure, but he was nowhere near as ecstatic as Lucius was. He just stood there and crossed his arms while watching the Roman dash all over the place in utter glee.</p><p>Connla also observed Lucius’ irrational behavior, then asked Beowulf, “I can tell that he’s excited, but what’s the point of claiming all this treasure if you can’t do anything with it?”</p><p>“That’s not quite right,” he replied. “There’s actually a lot you can do with this much wealth.”</p><p>“Like what?”</p><p>“Hm… It’s kind of hard to explain when you don’t know about how the factions operate. Let’s just say that you’d have a ridiculously overwhelming advantage over the competition.”</p><p>She tilted her head, growing more and more curious as to what he meant. Beowulf rolled his eyes and grumbled, “Well, we’re just lucky that His Highness is having a grand old time with this crazy discovery. That’ll make cooperating with him much easier than usual, though he’s still annoying as hell to deal with.”</p><p>“Mm,” Connla mumbled forlornly and sat down.</p><p>“What’s wrong? Worried about your friends?” the Scandinavian hero asked as he sat next to her.</p><p>“Yes. So much has happened that I need to take a moment and process all of it. If I don’t, I’ll wind up having a serious panic attack. It’s happened before, and I don’t want it to happen again.”</p><p>“Relax, I’ll help you find them. Think of it as a mutual exchange; I beat up anyone who has taken your buddies away, and you get me out of this godforsaken hellhole.”</p><p>“Even so, how are we going to get Jack and Nursery back? I can’t speak for Lord Lucius, but with just the two of us, I sincerely doubt we will be enough to counter the Servants allied with the three factions,” Connla said, then sighed, “Oh, if only I didn’t trust Lady Wu so carelessly. If I had doubted her claims about joining forces with Uma, the three of us probably would still be together.”</p><p>“Enough. Dwelling on the past is pointless. I don’t know what your history is with Wu Zetian, but here and now, she is an enemy of yours. You need to shape up and show her that you aren’t to be messed with so easily.”</p><p>She nodded. “You’re right. The problem is that ever since I was changed to a Saber-class Servant, my development as a fighter has been frightfully slow. My skills have been improving, but I still don’t understand a lot of things, like what exactly transformed me or why I’m able to use Lugh’s Halo.”</p><p>“Heeh!” Beowulf smirked. “Even when you’re in a class you’re not familiar with, you still managed to give me a hard time! I have to give you kudos for that!”</p><p>“You think so? I thought I was rather clumsy back there.”</p><p>“Come on, pat yourself on the back for a change!”</p><p>“Um… I’m not so sure. I mean, what do you think about my combat style?”</p><p>“I’d say you’re on the right path with your technique, but your strength leaves much to be desired. Lucky for you, I can give you some top-class strength training while we hammer out a plan.”</p><p>She looked up at him. “Will you?”</p><p>“Leave it to me. Soon enough, you’ll be breaking skulls as easily as squishing a strawberry in your hand!”</p><p>“Uh, I don’t want to be burly like you are. At the very least, I just want to rely on you for advice.”</p><p>Beowulf nodded, then glanced over at Lucius and wondered, “So, what are we gonna do with the Big Bad Roman over there? Obviously he isn’t going to be of any help to us since he only cares about expanding his little empire or whatever.”</p><p>Connla suddenly suggested, “Maybe we should ask him.”</p><p>“Seriously?”</p><p>“Well, there’s still a lot I don’t understand about this whole faction culture. I even heard you two mention something about ‘sacrifices’ a couple of times while we were walking here. That’s why I wanted to ask you and Lord Lucius a bunch of questions before deciding what to do next.”</p><p>Beowulf’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. “So you don’t know about how the nations resupply their constantly dwindling food and resources? It’s for that very reason that they go to war with each other all the time.”</p><p>Connla shook her head. “Jack, Nursery and I just showed up a couple of days ago. We only saw Uma and the crystal-clear lake surrounding it, yet I was rather perplexed about how such beautiful water could have gotten inside Aspidochelone. In fact, how did Lady Parvati gather the stone needed to build an entire city when there’s nothing but flesh and viscera everywhere we look?”</p><p>“Aspid-what now? Flesh and viscera everywhere? You’re not making any sense whatsoever.”</p><p>“Oh…” the young Saber became crestfallen as she realized she would have to explain the inevitable to her new partner.</p><p>Beowulf leaned in and gruffly asked, “Let me guess; it’s complicated?”</p><p>“Mm-hmm.”</p><p>As they conversed, they heard Lucius’ footsteps pounding the sand behind them in a running motion. He returned with a glimmering golden crown on his head, a polished gemstone amulet and a decorated scepter he found lying around. Beowulf shot him a wry glare and asked, “Having fun?”</p><p>Lucius laughed, “Gyah hah hah hah! This is absolutely incredible! Why, I could dominate any and all opposition by myself if I wanted to! Truly, this is a turning point in history! No, not just <em>a</em> turning point, but <em>the</em> turning point! It won’t be long before I take total control of this world and make everyone submit to my superiority! This is precisely the kind of domination I longed for back when I was alive, and now my dream is about to come true!”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, if you wanna live it up, do it on your own time. The kid and I are too busy with our own objectives to help you indulge in your power-mongering.”</p><p>The Roman emperor glanced over at Connla, noticing how despondent she appeared. He tapped his scepter on her shoulder and asked, “What’s the matter? You’re surrounded by enough wealth to buy a continent, yet you’re totally depressed. Why not forget about the bad things and enjoy yourself a little? Since you were gracious enough to bring me here, I will gladly allot a portion of this treasure to you.”</p><p>She looked up at him, then woefully exhaled before saying, “Since you’re here, I might as well explain right now.”</p><p>“Hm? About what?” Lucius wondered as he sat down next to her.</p><p>“About this place you call a ‘world’. The truth is, my friends and I came in here from the outside.”</p><p>“The outside, you say? As in the mythical world where there is an endless blue sky and a sun sharing its warmth to all? Nonsense. There’s no such thing.”</p><p>“Yes, there is!” she firmly retorted. “It’s not a myth whatsoever! We were swallowed!”</p><p>The two men’s expressions suddenly became dumbfounded. Lucius barked, “Swallowed!? Now you listen here, young lady! Although I have much respect for you as Lugh’s granddaughter, that doesn’t mean I will quietly tolerate your nonsense! In the first place, what the hell would be large enough to ‘swallow’ so many Servants and civilians that they could construct an entire society inside it!?”</p><p>Connla glared at him and replied, “A Phantasmal, that’s what!”</p><p>“A… A Phantasmal!? Surely you jest!”</p><p>“I’m not! My friends and I were swept away by a tidal wave, and then Aspidochelone found us tumbling underwater and devoured us!”</p><p>Beowulf narrowed his eyes and tapped his chin while murmuring, “Aspidochelone… Now that I think about it, isn’t it supposed to be the demonic Shield Turtle that’s as big as an island?”</p><p>“Yes!” Connla glanced at him, hoping that he would believe her. “We’re inside that very Phantasmal as we speak!”</p><p>Lucius’ thoughts blanked out in disbelief. Then he laughed, “Fwah hah hah hah hah! How absolutely preposterous and hilarious! Do you honestly expect me to believe that we have been playing our war games inside the bowels of a gigantic monster this whole time!?”</p><p>She firmly placed her hands on her hips and replied, “I do.”</p><p>“Gyah hah hah hah hah! Oh, you certainly know how to weave a good story! If you want any prayer of me humoring your claims, then you will have to show me some solid evidence!”</p><p>“You want proof? Fine, I’ll show you.”</p><p>Lucius immediately stopped chortling when he saw how serious Connla was. She ran down the sand dune and pointed to the dark water bubbling at the base while inquiring, “What do you think this stuff is?”</p><p>“Sure as hell doesn’t look like water,” Beowulf replied as he reached down to touch the substance.</p><p>She suddenly grabbed his arm and barked, “Hey, don’t touch it! That’s stomach acid!”</p><p>
  <em>“Stomach acid!?”</em>
</p><p>“Yeah! If you’re not careful, you’ll be dissolved in no time!”</p><p>By now, Lucius’ skin tone had become exponentially pale, to the point that he looked like he was about to throw up. He chuckled in disbelief, “Ah ha ha ha… There’s just no way this is true. S-S-So what if it’s acid? Not like that’s anything new.”</p><p>“Okay then,” Connla countered, “why don’t you try cutting into the walls and see if they bleed?”</p><p>“B-Bleeding walls!? Don’t mess with me!”</p><p>The trio returned up the sand bank and approached the nearest wall. Now that the child Servant had goaded him, the irate Roman was more than eager to test her theory out. He brandished Florent, then swung as hard as he could in a diagonal motion, carving his blade into the wall. To his absolute surprise, he was suddenly doused in a large spray of dark fluid.</p><p>“Hey…” he muttered in a deadpan tone. “I’m not covered in blood, am I?”</p><p>“You are,” Connla said.</p><p>“This… This just can’t be real…”</p><p>“Damn it!” Beowulf growled darkly, visibly trembling with both rage and terror. “T-This isn’t just a world… It really is a living creature…!”</p><p>The young Saber asked, “Is that enough evidence for you two? If you want more, I can talk about how those twisting caverns are actually Aspidochelone’s small intestine, or that the area we three met in was the pulmonary region. What we saw as a ceiling that moved up and down was actually its lungs. Furthermore, Uma was located in-”</p><p>“No, that’s good enough for me,” Lucius stopped her, then sat down to regain his composure. “I think I’ve seen enough.”</p><p>She approached him, then said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so rude. I just wanted to get my point across, especially considering how much danger we’re in.”</p><p>“Hah… I guess dealing with a selfish asshole like me isn’t helping matters much for you.”</p><p>She paused, unsure of how to reply. Instead, she murmured, “Now that you understand my side of the story, I’d like to ask you some questions. I am rather ignorant of how the factions can sustain themselves while inside a Phantasmal. I would really appreciate it if you could enlighten me. You were one of Roma’s Triumvirate, meaning you’d have a lot of inside information I could put to practical use. Do you think you could at least help me with that, Lord Lucius?”</p><p>A heavy silence followed. He stared at her for a long moment. She grew tense, unable to anticipate how he would respond.</p><p>Eventually, he smirked and chuckled, “Keh heh heh… Why not? It would be the summit of folly for me to knowingly establish a closed-off empire inside a behemoth when I could be expanding my territory in the outside world instead. I can just imagine it… I could be making history by developing the most flourishing faction of all time, basking beneath the mythical blue skies and shining sun… Oh, it would just be <em>grand</em>!”</p><p>Beowulf raised an eyebrow and wondered, “Does that mean you actually plan on escaping too?”</p><p>“You certainly bet I am, Grendel Slayer. I have no need to sequester my glorious kingdom within this rotten beast’s bowels. If indulging the Scion of Light’s precocious inquiries will help further my conquest, then all the better.”</p><p>Connla tilted her head. “Scion of Light?”</p><p>“Of course,” Lucius said and rubbed her head. “If Lugh is the God of Light and Cuchulainn is the Child of Light, then you are the scion to that legacy, are you not?”</p><p>“I guess so…”</p><p>“Now then,” the Roman grumbled and stood back up with newfound confidence, “you wish for me to impart all the knowledge I possess about the factions? Naught more than a trivial matter. First of all, you must understand how food and resources are replenished in this place.”</p><p>“Yes, that’s the one piece of this mystery I still can’t comprehend.”</p><p>“Then come with me. Once I show you the guardian deity, all should be clear to you.”</p><p>This was the first time Connla heard anything about a ‘guardian deity’, so curiosity overcame her as she and Beowulf followed Lucius. After a ten-minute walk along the rolling sand hills, he guided them to a particular mound of treasure while explaining, “As I was preoccupied with examining my new possessions, I happened upon one of the guardian idols that every faction swears fealty to. I found it rather peculiar that one would be situated here when there is no nation for it to grant its blessings upon. In fact, I dare say that this is the first time anyone has strayed so far from the known territories, so witnessing this idol is truly a first.”</p><p>Lucius brought them around the bend, where the stone carving of an old man with crossed arms stood. Its grey and drab features dramatically contrasted with the glimmering golden coins and sparkling gemstones surrounding it. Upon examining the figurine, Connla widened her eyes in shock and howled, <em>“No way!”</em></p><p>Beowulf immediately got on the defensive and yelped, “What’s the matter!?”</p><p>“What is such a thing doing here!?”</p><p>“Hm? Why so intimidated all of a sudden?” Lucius wondered. “These are the idols that everyone sacrifices Servants and civilians to in order to replenish resources. If there are no worthy Servants available, then giving up an equivalent amount of possessions is sufficient enough. Granted that I do not know where they come from, but their power is very much real. Perhaps it is for that reason alone that no one has questioned their existence.”</p><p>She looked up at the emperor. “You can’t be serious! These should never exist in the first place!”</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>Without warning, she conjured an Ansuz Rune and created a large fireball between her palms. Her expression became dire as she stated, “They have to be destroyed, no matter what!”</p><p>“Hey, slow down already! I have no idea what you’re going on about!”</p><p>“Do you understand what you all have been sacrificing to!? These statues belong to- <em>KYAAAH!?</em>”</p><p>Connla let out a horrified scream as she felt a large hand snatch her ankle and hoist her off the ground upside-down. Beowulf and Lucius watched in shock as a huge deformed humanoid burst through the treasure-covered sand and catch the child Servant unawares. Acting on raw instinct, she grunted and hurled her fireball at the monster’s face, causing it to explode and send body parts flying everywhere. Connla twisted her torso so that she landed back on her feet quickly, then scurried back to the others. The sand dunes crawled with life as more grotesque humanoids crawled out of their burial sites and surrounded the trio.</p><p>The Servants drew their weapons, and Lucius scowled while asking Connla, “What is the meaning of this? Why did you know that such a threat was lurking beneath our very feet?”</p><p>“Because that stone idol,” she grimly murmured, then glanced at him, “is dedicated to the worship of Fomorians.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. A Budding Nation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 15: A Budding Nation</strong>
</p><p>Gilgamesh took a deep breath, then folded his arms in contemplation. After a moment, he murmured, “Fomorians, you say?”</p><p>“No mistaking it,” Cuchulainn Prototype affirmed.</p><p>By now, the majority of Chaldea’s Servants had returned to the primary island and reconvened within the makeshift cottage. Cuchulainn had finally started to reveal what he didn’t want to say to Emiya earlier, and Gilgamesh was letting this news sink in.</p><p>Ozymandias grinned and said, “How fascinating. So a god from the Celts’ accursed Formorian pantheon has taken root within Okeanos and is directing the world’s mana to deep below the sea. No doubt, it is to provide nourishment for this Phantasmal that has claimed three of our own. What say you, Golden King?”</p><p>“What is there to say? You simply seek my agreement, do you not, Sun King?” Gilgamesh replied curtly.</p><p>Kintoki huffed, “Man, what a fine mess this is turning out to be. Who would’ve thought that a Celtic god was behind all of this? Furthermore, we have nothing to go on with their identity or what they’re after. I mean, what’s the point of keeping such a gigantic monster alive? Why is it swallowing people, Servants, and treasures left and right? Does the perp just want to feed their pet, or do they need it for some villainous purpose that we can’t comprehend?”</p><p>“Well, we <em>are</em> dealing with a god,” Emiya grumbled sardonically. “We lowly humans cannot hope to comprehend the thinking of higher beings, and it’s better that we don’t try.”</p><p>“Heh heh, got me there, Red. Why bother understanding what this guy wants when he can just be pounded into the ground Golden-style?”</p><p>Boudica’s mood turned sour as she said, “Much as I’d like to agree with you, I’m still worried about the children running around inside a Phantasmal. Are our efforts to destroy the statues really going to force it back up so we can retrieve them?”</p><p>Cuchulainn told her, “Don’t worry, we’re doing the right thing. The only reason Aspidochelone can remain hidden within the deep ocean is because it’s being provided with enough mana to ensure its survival. Without them, you’re basically cutting off its oxygen supply, and it will have to come up for air.”</p><p>“I see. Despite its size, we technically still are dealing with a turtle by nature.”</p><p>Mata Hari then said, “The question is whether or not there are more statues for us to get rid of. Most of us can’t keep track of the flow of mana like the two kings can due to their high Divinity.”</p><p>“Hey, hey, don’t forget about me!” Cuchulainn exclaimed. “I might not be a king, but I’m still a demigod! I can sense them just as well as they can!”</p><p>“Oh, goodness. My apologies, Cu. It’s kind of easy to forget since you don’t espouse yourself like Gil and Ozy do.”</p><p>“Ozy? <strong><em>Ozy!?</em></strong>” Nitocris widened her eyes in shock. “Did you just refer to my liege by such an appallingly casual name!?”</p><p>“Why not? We’re all friends, aren’t we?”</p><p>“Now you look here-!”</p><p>Just as the lady Pharaoh was about to get into a heated argument with the dancer, the group heard the front door slam open. In stepped an extremely annoyed, agitated, and sopping wet Cuchulainn Alter, who snatched a nearby towel and dried himself off while grumbling, “Quibbling again? Don’t you people have better things to do, like finding the kids?”</p><p>“Believe me, we’re working out a plan,” Nightingale assured. “How did things work out on your end?”</p><p>“Not much, other than finding one of those blasphemous Fomorian idols. Its guardian was one hell of a piece of work, let me tell you.”</p><p>The other Cuchulainn yelped, “Y-You found one underwater!?”</p><p>“Yep. I reckon that wasn’t the only one too – judging from the mana trails, there has to be at least one or two more that I’d have to investigate.”</p><p>“Holy shit. We got rid of four across the islands.”</p><p>“Hmph. What a pain in the ass. Us lot, reduced to partaking in a ridiculous scavenger hunt just to fish up a monster. If that Aspid-thingamalone didn’t take shelter in the ocean’s abyss where I can’t reach it, I would have eaten it for breakfast already.”</p><p>“Heh. You always were the type to get things done ASAP. This kind of tedious cherry-picking must be getting on your nerves.”</p><p>Alter scoffed at his younger counterpart, then asked Gilgamesh, “Any word from the kids?”</p><p>“The runt has not spoken to me since last time. I reckon that exploring something as monolithically huge as Aspidochelone is taking up a lot of her time and energy.”</p><p>“Damn it…”</p><p>“Pace yourself, Mad King. We know that the little ones are alive, at least. Furthermore, if my theory is correct, the runt should wind up finding one of these Fomorian idols herself. The moment she does, I trust that she would know what to do by virtue of her Celtic heritage.”</p><p>“What do you mean? Why would there be any inside the Phantasmal?”</p><p>“Why else? If the ones we’re hunting down are ‘suppliers’ of mana, then it stands to reason that there should be ones that act as ‘receivers’. In other words, Aspidochelone is being kept alive through a complex network of stone idols, which have been established by someone from the Fomorian pantheon. Their identity and motives may elude us for now, but so long as the pressure is maintained, they will soon be forced to show themselves.”</p><p>Alter paused, carefully thinking about Gilgamesh’s advice. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander for a moment. The Uruk king noticed how quiet he had become, so he demanded, “Are you questioning my logic, mongrel?”</p><p>“No. I don’t have a problem with it at all.”</p><p>“Then why do you furrow your brow so?”</p><p>“I was just thinking about the season we’re in.”</p><p>“The season? What does such an obvious concept have to do with this?”</p><p>Cuchulainn Prototype suddenly exclaimed, “Oh! It’s just a day or two away from Lughnasadh!”</p><p>Alter grinned. “I think you’re catching on.”</p><p>“Well we certainly aren’t,” Jing Ke muttered.</p><p>“It’s not concrete proof of anything, but I was curious about how this incident is happening at the same time as Lughnasadh, or the <em>sabbat</em> that takes place either July 30 or August 1, depending on your belief. If you aren’t aware, Lughnasadh is the harvest festival named after my old man, Lugh. It’s really just a celebration of summer, but there is some folklore attached to it.”</p><p>“Such as?”</p><p>“… The story of Lugh defeating the powers of blight, and seizing the stolen harvest for mankind.”</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Uuuh… I can barely breathe…</em>
</p><p>Jack was hopelessly weak to the knees. She could barely walk upright, so two of Wu Zetain’s Kuli had to grab her arms and make her stand properly. She had no idea where Wu was taking her, but the searing pain in her lungs refused to let her concentrate on anything other than her agonizing breathing. Soon though, Jack could make out a colorful and luminous city tucked in a dark corner. The primary sources of light were rows upon rows of ornate Chinese lanterns, as if the town was always in the midst of a lively festival. A traditional yet spectacular pagoda stood tall over the city, with an effigy of a Chinese dragon coiled around the tilted roof like it was the castle’s guardian.</p><p>However, even Jack could tell that the atmosphere was not jovial. There seemed to be a crowd of people gathered around the central plaza, where a fountain provided the townspeople with drinking water. Atop the fountain was another one of the Fomorian idols, lit up by vibrant lanterns that routinely changed color. However, next to this flamboyant setup was the grim sight of a platform with a row of poles that had nooses dangling on the end. The lanterns surrounding this were all blood-red, and the congregation of people seemed more concentrated around here than the fountain.</p><p>“Oh ho? What ever is this ruckus, we wonder?” Wu murmured, then approached the crowd and declared, “Stand aside!”</p><p>“Empress Wu,” one civilian moaned, then bowed as humbly as possible. Everyone else followed suit, then edged out of the way to make a path for her. Jack stayed behind to watch what was about to unfold.</p><p>Wu purposefully stomped her shoes on the wooden steps, then approached the criminals who were about to be executed. Three were ordinary men, but the fourth was particularly interesting. He was a black-haired man who had tattoos of a Chinese dragon wrapping around his exposed torso, and he wore black pants and bulky blue armored gloves. He glanced at Wu for a moment, then snorted to himself and glared away.</p><p>Wu looked up at the executioner in charge of this event. He was none other than Li Shuwen, the red-haired martial arts expert who could defeat his foes in one strike. Wu said to him, “We do not recall arranging for an execution such as this. Explain to us what has transpired, Head Guard.”</p><p>“It’s nothing much, really,” Li explained. “As I was busy with my patrols, I noticed that you had returned from your solo expedition. The trouble was that the timing seemed a little off to me, so I decided to put my theory to the test.”</p><p>“Test?”</p><p>“As in combat.”</p><p>“Ah ha ha. Of course. What else would a simian such as yourself obsess over?”</p><p>“If my hide were not as strong as steel, your words would have wounded me, Empress Regnant. At any rate, the short story is that I exposed this fellow attempting to impersonate as you.”</p><p>Wu glared at the black-haired man again. “Who is this ruffian, and why is he accompanied by three of Zhou’s own?”</p><p>Li smirked, then replied, “It’s simple, really. This is one of Roma’s top-secret agents; Yan Qing, the prodigal outlaw from the <em>Water Margin</em>. After I apprehended him, the Kuli did the rest of the work, thereby forcing him to confess that he had three of Roma’s spies assist him in the infiltration.”</p><p>“Goodness! Loathe as we are to admit it, we have severely underestimated Nero’s determination to overthrow this nation! As we believed she was preoccupied with her silly festival, we did not think she would have the foresight to send spies our way. We commend you for your timely foresight, Li Shuwen. Your dedication to Zhou will no doubt go down in legend!”</p><p>“It’s nothing as grandiose as that. I thought I smelled a worthy opponent, so I sniffed him out. Nothing more, nothing less.”</p><p>“Your humility brings a smile to our face,” Wu grinned, but soon that expression faded as she approached Yan Qing. “So, you are the dog that attempted to take on our form and sabotage Zhou, hm?”</p><p>“So what if I am?” he retorted.</p><p>“We assume that either Nero or one of the other Triumvirate paid you quite a handsome sum for your sordid services. We cannot imagine those narcissists wanting to be publicly associated with a known villain such as yourself, yet we know they are willing to get their hands dirty in order to expand their empire.”</p><p>“You’re a real hypocrite, you know that?”</p><p>“Hee hee. Your blasphemous words ring hollow in our ears, boy. Besides, we do not need to listen to the words of dead men. In fact, you should be rejoicing. Now that Roma has truly and thoroughly abandoned you, you should be happy that through your death, you will be providing a wonderful bounty for your native countrymen.”</p><p>“So we’re gonna be the next sacrifices, huh? I hope the food our deaths provide gives everyone the runs.”</p><p>As this conversation went on, Jack could only wonder, <em>Sacrifices? What is the scary man talking about?</em></p><p>Satisfied with taunting Yan Qing, Wu Zetian turned on her heel and stepped toward the lever that would drop the victims to their deaths. Without hesitation, and with a sugary yet sinister smile plastered all over her face, she pulled it. Before anyone knew it, four now-dead bodies dangled from the nooses. The Fomorian statue started to glow deep green, and tendrils of mana extended toward the corpses. Bit by bit, they were dissolved into raw mana particles, then absorbed back into the figurine.</p><p>Jack could only watch in horror as the mana materialized into a huge pile of fruit, bread, corn, sugar, milk, stone, wood, and other necessities for daily living. Even pigs, cows and chickens were given life here. Without any concern for the four people that died just now, the entire crowd rushed in to hoard whatever food and resources they could get their hands on.</p><p>
  <em>No way…</em>
</p><p>As this phenomenon transpired, a young woman in an odd baseball cap watched quietly from her hiding spot beneath an unoccupied food stand. She munched on some chicken skewers she stole and took in the spectacle. She noticed that Jack was with the Kuli, and narrowed her eyes in concern. Without making any noise, she edged back out and hurried through the dark alleys out of Zhou.</p><p>Meanwhile. Wu watched her citizens’ clamoring while quietly praising herself for what a good job she did. Then she returned to Jack’s side and brought her prisoner to the pagoda while saying, “Our apologies for the late introduction, but welcome to the Zhou Empire, Jack the Ripper.”</p><p>“I, uh… I… D-Do you… always do those kinds of things…?”</p><p>“What things? Like giving up worthless criminals to the guardian deity? Think nothing of it. So long as you do not disobey us, you will be able to live a fulfilling life here.”</p><p>“Why did you… take me away… from my friends?”</p><p>“Believe us, we would have liked to keep you three together. However, it seems the other white-haired girl has been captured by Uma, and we do not know the whereabouts of the purple-haired one. Alas, you are the only one we can reward for performing the mission of assassinating Parvati in our stead.”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous. We never wanted… to kill anyone. We just want to… get out of here…”</p><p>“Get out of here?” Wu raised an eyebrow. “Your blathering makes no sense to us. Best not to elaborate though, or else you shall only bamboozle us further.”</p><p>“Ungh…”</p><p>“Relax. We have no intention of harming you. Come in, come in. Make yourself at home. You will be familiarizing yourself with Zhou’s locales soon enough, now that we have appointed you as one of our trustworthy bodyguards.”</p><p>In one of the pagoda’s empty rooms, the Kuli that forced Jack to walk with them made her lie down on the bed, and Wu approached with a small bottle of fluid. She made her drink the substance. A few minutes later, the searing pain in Jack’s lungs seemed to subside, and she could actually take deep breaths now. Once she recovered, she sat up and immediately brandished one of her daggers while fiercely glaring at Wu.</p><p>The empress looked genuinely surprised as she asked, “What is this? You wish not to be a citizen of Zhou?”</p><p>“Of course not!” Jack angrily retorted. “I have to find Nursery and Connla so we can reunite with our friends!”</p><p>“Oh, goodness. What a problem… for you, at least.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“That antidote only lasts for 24 hours, and only we know the formula. If you were to leave without so much as a proper good-bye, you will wind up dying from severe bronchitis. The only cure is ingesting that medicine at the same time every day.”</p><p>Jack’s eyes flared with hatred, and she screamed, <em>“You coward!”</em></p><p>“Come now, there’s no need to be so upset. It is simply procedure for a nation that abides by the laws written in the Manual of Accusation. That antidote is your reward for assisting us with our job, after all.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>Wu was pleased that Jack started to realize her situation, and she chuckled, “Are we in agreement then? As of this moment, you are now our third bodyguard, and one of Zhou’s guardian Servants. Once you have rested up, feel free to explore the city to your heart’s content.”</p><p>With that, Wu and the Kuli left Jack alone. The child Assassin just sat there and bit her lip for the longest while. What was she supposed to do to get out of <em>this</em> predicament? She felt hopelessly lost, believing she would never be allowed to return to Chaldea and see her Master and friends again. The despair rapidly ate away at her soul, and no matter what she did to stay calm, she couldn’t fight back the tears.</p><p>
  <em>Nursery… Connla… Mommy…</em>
</p><p>Soon though, she heard the ornate shoji door slide open. She looked over to discover a Servant she had never seen before. The magenta-haired teenager pranced inside and asked, “So you’re the latest addition, huh?”</p><p>“Who are you?” Jack asked.</p><p>“Me? I’d go for the grand introduction, but if I wind up making too much noise, that pint-sized bitch might be inclined to skip my dose of the antidote tomorrow. Who knows what would happen if the world was robbed of my divine singing voice because of Wu’s horrible toxins wreaking havoc on my delicate lungs?”</p><p>“Y-You’re poisoned too?”</p><p>“Yep. We’re in this rocky boat together, so let’s just get along, okay?”</p><p>“Sure…” the Assassin’s morose mood lightened once she found out someone else was in the same position as her.</p><p>“Anyway, I digress. The short and sweet of it is that my name is Elizabeth Bathory.”</p>
<hr/><p>Several hours passed since Ashwatthama defeated Nursery in battle. At Parvati’s insistence, he brought the young Caster back to Uma and deposited her in a jail cell. However, the accommodations included fresh food, a high-quality bed, and plenty of books to read. Parvati always believed that a dungeon would leave an impression on a prisoner’s mind as far as the character of a country, its ruler and the citizens were concerned, so the better the holding cell, the better negotiations could go.</p><p>This was what Nursery woke up to. She was lying on her side atop a nice, freshly-cleaned set of blankets that covered a plush mattress and pillow. She got up and looked around quietly, wondering where she was. The room’s scent eased her nerves, but it didn’t help much if she was in a place she had never seen before. She got up and tried to open the door, yet discovered that it was tightly locked.</p><p>Nursery wasn’t exactly the patient type though, so she took a few steps back and raised her hand while chanting, “Round and round, the door never stops, right into the bubbling pot!”</p><p>A fireball shot out of her hand and detonated against the door. However, it wasn’t affected by the attack at all. She grew irate and kept trying again and again. Eventually, the room choked up with so much smoke that she had to give up trying. She sat on the bed and coughed until the acrid stench subsided. Once recovered, she stared at the door and sighed despondently.</p><p>
  <em>I guess I really was captured by the scary guy with the steel donut. I wonder what’s going to happen to me now that I’m an enemy of this country… They’ll probably toss me in a witch’s cauldron and brew me into candy, or stick me in a pen full of hungry wolves, or-</em>
</p><p>Nursery’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard a large padlock on the opposite side of the door audibly click open. The entrance cracked open, and to the girl’s surprise, Parvati was the one who stepped through.</p><p>“Ah, looks like you’re finally awake,” the Pseudo-Servant said. “I feared that Ashwatthama was too rough with you, so I’m glad you’re fine.”</p><p>“Where am I?” Nursery asked the inevitable question.</p><p>“You’re inside one of Uma Palace’s holding cells, though I have made it a temporary arrangement. I have no intention of crudely interrogating you like how Wu Zetian would, but Ashwatthama insisted that I keep you under lock and key for everyone’s safety. Even so, I still would like to ask you some questions, particularly about what happened when you and your friends met Wu.”</p><p>The young girl looked down at the floor in shame. “Oh. I’m so sorry, miss. We had no idea that package was actually a bad tick-tock device.”</p><p>“I understand. You three are simply lost, and were maliciously preyed upon. I am not fool enough to fall for Wu’s attempt at deflecting blame onto the shoulders of innocent Servants.”</p><p>“Gosh, you’re a really, really nice goddess, you know that? Are you sure you want to be near me after what happened?”</p><p>“I know the truth. There is nothing for me to worry about… unless you actually <em>want</em> me to be concerned, that is.”</p><p>“No, no, no, of course not! I don’t wanna cause you any trouble! I just wanna get out of here and meet up with Jack and Connla so we can go home!”</p><p>Parvati frowned. “I can empathize with how you feel. It’s just that I believe it is far too dangerous for you to be running around so carelessly anymore. I would like to help you reunite with your friends, but I am remiss to admit that I have absolutely no information regarding their whereabouts. Ashwatthama and Medusa are doing what they can with the search, yet they cannot abandon their posts as Uma’s guardians either.”</p><p>“Oh no…” Nursery began to tear up.</p><p>Parvati sat next to her and assured, “It’s going to be fine, honey. It’s because of Uma and Zhou’s feud that you are in this mess in the first place. In fact, I should be apologizing to you instead of the other way around. As recompense, I will do everything in my power to make sure your reunion happens.”</p><p>“R-Really?”</p><p>“Really. Dry those tears and straighten up now. You want to greet your friends with a smile, don’t you?”</p><p>“… Yeah. Yeah, you’re right! I’m gonna see Jack and Connla again, no matter what!”</p><p>“That’s the spirit. Now, would you like to go on a walk with me? We can get caught up on what has happened, and plan for the retaliation at the same time.”</p><p>“Retaliation?” Nursery wondered as she followed the somber Parvati out into the palace halls.</p><p>“Naturally. Zhou is responsible for making an assassination attempt on Uma’s leader. I may be fair, but I must also be firm. I must make it known to Wu Zetian that she cannot pull such dastardly pranks anymore, and will swiftly punish her for her mistakes.”</p><p>“Does that mean you’re going to fight Wu and her faction? What if either Jack or Connla are there? What if we wind up having to fight as enemies?”</p><p>“That’s what we need to plan for. If we’re lucky, you three could meet up during the confusion and make your escape that way. Of course, if Wu winds up getting her hands on either of them, it won’t be as simple as that. She has a habit of forcing others to submit to her will, and she is fond of utilizing underhanded tactics such as what you experienced.”</p><p>Nursery grunted in agitation, not wanting to remember Wu’s face. They reached the throne room, where they found Ashwatthama and Medusa speaking with an Oriental man dressed in traditional Chinese garb. They faced the pair, and the stranger said, “Welcome back, Lady Parvati.”</p><p>“I can say the same for you, Ling. How did your mission fare?”</p><p>“I was just informing Lord Ashwatthama and Lady Medusa about what transpired in Zhou several hours ago. I bore witness to a ‘ceremony’, and also happened to see the Kuli dragging an unfamiliar Servant along with them.”</p><p>Nursery became excited, and she yelled, “An unfamiliar Servant!? What did they look like, mister!?”</p><p>“Pipe down, you little runt!” Ashwatthama scolded her. “Don’t forget that you’re our prisoner! You have no position to be talking to one of my men like that!”</p><p>“She is <em>not</em> a prisoner,” Parvati retorted. “She is a collaborator. I demand that you treat her with the same respect as you would for one of Uma’s own people.”</p><p>“Uh… I mean… Haven’t you forgotten that she-?”</p><p>“Is that an excuse I hear?”</p><p>“No, ma’am! My apologies for offending you! Ling, could you tell the young lady about this unknown Servant?”</p><p>“Of course,” the Chinese fellow replied coolly. “She looked to be a girl around your age, with short messy white hair, green eyes, and wearing a peculiarly revealing black bikini.”</p><p>Nursery grabbed her hair and gasped, “That’s Jack! Oh, no, no, no! What’s going to happen now!? I don’t wanna have to fight against Jack!”</p><p>Parvati snatched her shoulder and said, “I already told you not to worry about it. You’re not going to fight your friend. I promise you that.”</p><p>“Uuuh…”</p><p>While Parvati and Nursery spoke with each other, Ashwatthama asked Ling, “By the way, you didn’t happen to see another child Servant in Zhou? One with short purple hair done in a bun, wearing a white leotard and wielding twin daggers?”</p><p>“I cannot say I have. The Kuli only captured that one girl.”</p><p>“So the third one got away. I suppose it should be considered good fortune that she won’t be embroiled in this conflict. Hard to say if Roma got to her though, since we haven’t heard word about what’s going on there.”</p><p>“We’d best not ponder the what-ifs regarding the third Servant,” Medusa suggested. “We must stick to facts, and all we know is that Zhou has both captured a new Servant as well as executed a Roma spy.”</p><p>“Executed?” Nursery asked. “The fancy-dressed man said that there was some kind of ‘ceremony’ he saw. Is that just another word for execution?”</p><p>“That’s just part of the story. After people are sent to the gallows, their bodies are converted into raw mana, offered to each faction’s guardian deity, and transformed into food and resources for the people to live off of.”</p><p>“<em>What!?</em> That’s horrible! How could Wu do such a thing!?”</p><p>Parvati sullenly closed her eyes. Ashwatthama and Medusa glanced away as well, looking similarly guilty of something. After a moment, Parvati admitted, “I think it is best that you don’t rush to conclusions, Nursery. After all, I am equally as responsible for utilizing the powers of our own guardian deity.”</p><p>“Eh? Y-You mean… You couldn’t have…”</p><p>“Let me show you.”</p><p>Medusa got in front of her liege and wondered, “Are you sure about this? She isn’t loyal to Uma, so letting her see it would be potentially dangerous.”</p><p>“After all the trouble she has gone through on our account, I believe it is fair for her to know. If anything bad happens as a result, I will take full responsibility for it.”</p><p>“… I understand.”</p><p>The Rider stepped aside, and Parvati guided Nursery to the altar where a Fomorian idol was placed. Judging by how closed off this place was from the outside world, Nursery could easily assume that this was some holy sanctuary that Parvati only allowed a select few to visit. The young Caster gazed in both surprise and disgust at the carving, while the goddess said, “In here, I have made the heart-wrenching decision to give up the lives of Servants in order to provide for my people.”</p><p>“But… <em>why</em>?”</p><p>“Don’t you understand? This entire world is barren. There is no way to grow crops or raise livestock without the assistance of these guardian deities. In order for us to survive though, the guardians need to be appeased with sacrifices. Citizens may provide some resources, but Servants give far more. Do you know of the lake that surrounds this city? In truth, it is the result of one of my Servants giving himself up for Uma’s sake.”</p><p>“Ah!” Nursery gasped as she thought about the beautiful crystal-blue lake with lily pads and lotus flowers blooming everywhere. Suddenly, that image took on a far more sinister undertone now that she knew where it actually came from.</p><p>Parvati rested a hand on her chest and moaned, “Oh, Sir Lancelot… He was driven to madness with guilt over what his actions did to Camelot. I believe he allowed me to sacrifice him as a small penance for his perceived sin. So foolish… so, so foolish… and yet, it was necessary for Uma’s rapidly growing population. So many people are fleeing from Roma and Zhou’s brutal dictatorships and seeking shelter here. I’m sure that Lancelot, as the Lord of the Lake, would have seen this as an opportunity to atone for himself and to give the people as much water as they desired.”</p><p>Nursery’s anger subsided upon hearing that tale. She wasn’t sure if Wu Zetian felt the same way as Parvati, but at least she could rest easy knowing that the Hindu goddess was performing these sacrifices with a heavy heart. Parvati glared at the stone statue, then glowered, “I’d do anything to be rid of this foul abomination immediately. Yet, it is no different than tearing the heart out of a living creature. Uma has become an entity of its own, and it is my duty to nurture its growth, not to kill it out of personal distaste.”</p><p>In that moment, Nursery had an epiphany. She asked, “If there was something you could do to escape it though, would you want to do it?”</p><p>“Of course I would.”</p><p>“Then I might know something that could help you.”</p><p>“Hm?” Parvati glanced at Nursery. “What ever are you talking about?”</p><p>“It’s a little complicated, but it’s like this…”</p><p>As Nursery began talking, neither of them noticed a slim figure wearing a baseball cap slip back into the shadows and escape from the palace. She stopped at a food stand along the way to grab a bowl of butter chicken, then left Uma without saying a word.</p>
<hr/><p>“Uwah!?”</p><p>Connla was slammed against a flailing club and fiercely hurtled sideways. Beowulf charged in from behind and caught her, causing them to tumble across the sand for a few meters. Before the monster could strike again though, Lucius swept in low and carved his sword through its belly. It dropped dead, but two more grotesque humanoids marched in to replace their fallen comrade.</p><p>“You dare challenge the Roman Procurator himself!?” Lucius shouted furiously. “Know the summit of your folly, cretins!”</p><p>He effortlessly swung Florent downward to bifurcate the nearest enemy, then jumped back to avoid a falling broadsword. He didn’t notice that another ghoul had snuck in from behind, and he was in line to be skewered through with a crudely-crafted rusty lance. Suddenly, one of Beowulf’s thrown swords pierced through the monster’s torso, destroying its vitals in an instant. He retrieved his bloody weapon while Connla ran past, ready to rejoin the battle.</p><p><em>I need to remember my training with Jack. Just stay calm and keep on the move,</em> she thought while approaching three humanoids.</p><p>She deftly hopped over a stabbing sword, used the blunt edge as a platform to jump higher, then landed on her foe’s head and stabbed her knives into its spinal cord. Then she vaulted backwards onto the next ghoul and did the same thing. With the third one barging for her, she borrowed Beowulf’s idea and threw both daggers like darts square at its eyes, violently blinding it. She jumped toward it, then carved the blades upward so she could simultaneously reclaim her weapons and destroy its brain.</p><p>Meanwhile, Beowulf encountered one of the largest monsters in the horde and used all of his might to struggle against it in a sort of sumo wrestling match. He thought he was going to be overpowered, but then the creature lost its footing against the slippery sand, giving him a chance to tackle it onto its back. He balled his hand into a tight fist, grinned, and glowered, “Say night-night.”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Splurt!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Pieces of skull and brain matter splattered everywhere. Beowulf got back on his feet and glared at the other enemies, who had witnessed their comrade’s brutal death and decided to maintain their distance. While they were busy being stunned by the Berserker’s violent display though, Lucius darted in from behind and sliced through their backs in a W-shaped slashing pattern. The monsters fell, but the Roman wasn’t enjoying the victory at all.</p><p>“Son of a bitch,” he snarled as he saw more enemies burrow out of the sand. “Just how many of these reprehensible things are there?”</p><p>“Kind of makes you wonder why there’s a guardian deity way out here that’s being protected so fiercely, even when there’s no one around to make sacrifices to it,” Beowulf muttered.</p><p>Connla heard him and became quiet. As much as she wanted to ask him what he meant, she had to stay focused on the battle. It was difficult to say whether or not they were actually making progress with thinning the herd, or if they would eventually be overwhelmed by numbers they couldn’t possibly fathom. She shifted her eyes over to the glowing Fomorian idol. She <em>knew</em> she had to get rid of it somehow. The trouble was, what could she do to break through this endless blockade?</p><p>That was when Connla thought she noticed a blue flash from above, and she looked up at it. It was a pair of energized sword slashes shaped like an X, and the attack rained down upon the unsuspecting horde of ghouls. Those who were directly in its path were carved into chunks, while those who were nearby were scattered apart by the rushing winds. To Connla’s relief, a familiar young woman in a blue jacket leapt down from her vantage point and landed next to her.</p><p>“I see you have not neglected in your training as a Saber, little one,” the lady said.</p><p>Connla cried out, “Miss X!”</p><p>Beowulf snorted, “You again, huh?”</p><p>“As much as I would like to enjoy this reunion, our mission has not been completed yet. Allow me to carve a path through these imperfect Sabers so that you may end this swiftly. Of course, if you use a beam-like Noble Phantasm, I might wind up being rather peeved!” X declared, then summoned a black-and-red version of her blue-and-white sword before charging at the oncoming creatures.</p><p>“Now, gaze upon the fellowship of light and dark! Cataphract Shift! Know the power of the Royal Road! <strong><em>Sword of Unwritten Victory!</em></strong>”</p><p>X blasted through the crowd like a meteor while flailing her twin blades about in a crazed dance. The ghouls fell to the ground in literal bloody pieces one after the other. Once her Noble Phantasm was expended, she leapt backwards high in the air and stared at Connla while shouting, “Do it now, Saber!”</p><p>“Okay!” the child Servant cried out, then raised her arms. She thought about the strange fiery wheel that she conjured before. She wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a regular attack or her actual Noble Phantasm, but in this moment, she wanted to rely on its powers.</p><p>
  <em>Please help me, Grandfather!</em>
</p><p>Just like before, Lugh’s Halo appeared over her head, spinning wildly and throwing stray embers everywhere. She thrust her arms forth as if tossing an imaginary heavy ball with all her might, and she screamed, <strong><em>“Hwaaaah!”</em></strong></p><p>The wheel barreled through the path that X created and made its way straight for the statue. With a mighty thud, it smashed the stone effigy into pieces and detonated in a sweltering blaze, incinerating any nearby ghouls. Now that the idol was gone, the surviving creatures howled in agony and disintegrated into billowy puffs of ash that dotted the pearly sands with grayish bits.</p><p>The Servants remained still for a moment. Once they were sure the threat was eliminated, X patted Connla on the back and exclaimed, “Well done, little Saber! Looks like your Noble Phantasm is an AoE version of Brahmastra, rather than yet another generic Saberface beam attack! I approve!”</p><p>“Uh, well, I’m not sure…”</p><p>The Assassin looked at the others and asked, “How fares everyone?”</p><p>“I am rather irate that I could not deliver the decisive blow, but being irate is better than being dead, I suppose,” Lucius admitted as he sheathed Florent.</p><p>“Same here,” Beowulf added.</p><p>“I’m fine,” Connla replied, then asked the swordswoman, “What are you doing here, Miss X? Weren’t you out hunting for Artorium or whatever?”</p><p>“It’s <em>Altrium</em>! Do <strong><em>not</em></strong> get the two mixed up!”</p><p>“Oh…”</p><p>“Anyway, to answer your question, I am actually still in the middle of my scavenger hunt. It’s just that I waited at the rendezvous point for you and your partners for quite some time. Concerned that you may have crossed paths with any of the factions, I decided to rely on my top-secret stealth abilities to investigate.”</p><p>“So you used Presence Concealment to check things out with each group?”</p><p>“How absurd! Sabers do not have Presence Concealment! I simply snuck around using nothing more than my wits and talents!”</p><p>“Fine, whatever you say,” Connla moaned, not wanting to argue with the hard-headed Assassin. “So, what did you find out?”</p><p>“As I feared, Jack has been abducted by Zhou, while Nursery is being confined in Uma’s palace walls.”</p><p>“You’re kidding! I kind of suspected it with Nursery, but how did Jack get captured by Lady Wu!?”</p><p>“She was ruthlessly ambushed and poisoned with toxic gas. Jack’s servitude to Zhou has been coerced – she must obey Wu Zetian if she wishes to be given the antidote for the poison that is eating her alive.”</p><p>“Oh, god… This is just going from bad to worse…”</p><p>“Well, the good news is that Parvati has taken a liking to Nursery, and has pardoned her crime. Parvati may be more lenient than Wu, but I sincerely doubt that her minions will allow Nursery to leave. If anything, they might expect her to partake in the upcoming battle.”</p><p>Connla widened her eyes. “Battle?”</p><p>“Yeah,” X nodded. “Uma plans on launching an attack against Zhou.”</p><p>The young Saber’s throat choked up. What was she supposed to say to such devastating news? Both of her friends were prisoners for opposing sides of an impending war. Since Jack and Nursery were Servants, no doubt they would wind up having to fight this battle, if not each other. What in the world could Connla do to diffuse this situation? Was it simply beyond her scope to rectify?</p><p>“Keh hah hah hah!” Lucius laughed boldly. “Sounds like quite the party! It’s just a crying shame that I wasn’t invited!”</p><p>Beowulf glared at him. “Knowing you, you’d just invite yourself.”</p><p>“Damn straight! Now that I know those ass-ugly statues are nothing more than a sham, I will happily take advantage of this confusion to ruin Zhou and Uma’s guardian deities while they’re busy playing war!”</p><p>Connla looked over at Lucius, surprised that he would make such a ridiculous assertion. She then asked, “You’re just going to march in and destroy the lifelines that these factions rely on?”</p><p>“Of course I would! My goal isn’t to forge an empire inside a godforsaken monster! Anything that gets in the way of my real ambitions will be eliminated without a second thought! If the people are afraid that they will die of starvation in this hellhole, then they’ll have no choice but to follow me to the mythical realm of sky and sunlight, where we will not be reliant upon sacrifices any longer!”</p><p>“…”</p><p>Beowulf smirked, “Heeh! For a pampered rich boy, you sure know how to talk the talk. The thing is, do you have a plan?”</p><p>“Of course I do!” Lucius retorted. “I’m not an Emperor in title alone! Now that the woman with the suspicious-looking sword has given me some crucial information, I can thus formulate a strategy based on the members of this budding nation!”</p><p>“Budding nation?”</p><p>The Roman raised Florent high and made his declaration:</p><p>“Here and now, I christen this legendary vault as the home base for the Lugh Faction! With Yours Truly as the leader, of course!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Mysteries of the Idols</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 16: Mysteries of the Idols</strong>
</p><p>In the Chaldean Servants’ cottage, the group congregated in front of a large holographic monitor that had two different displays – one was of Okeanos’ map, while the other projected Da Vinci as she analyzed the information she was given.</p><p>“Hi!” the inventor beamed. “Gilgamesh has already gotten me up to speed, so let’s get straight to the heart of the matter, shall we? Acting Director Archaman has tasked us with resolving an incident that could potentially manifest into a Singularity, which can then further damage to the foundation of human history since the World is still recovering from the Third Singularity. For simplicity’s sake, we will dub this the Fomorian Singularity, since that is the enemy we are dealing with this time.</p><p>“All of you have been tracking down the Fomorian idols scattered across the islands, yet I am told that there are potentially more lurking out there. I suppose you don’t need me to tell you what to do next. In order to facilitate the process though, the teams will be provided with detailed maps showing where the remaining statues are, as well as the mana threads they are producing. Now that the simple part is out of the way, the real headaches will come once Aspidochelone is forced back to the surface. It is too deep underwater for us to perform a thorough analysis at this time, but based on the exorbitant amounts of mana being provided, I’d wager it’s about the size of Okeanos’ three largest islands combined.”</p><p>“Meaning, how are we supposed to fight against something like that?” Emiya wondered.</p><p>“Right. If we’re not careful, we could be allowing the Phantasmal to run rampant. Being contained to Okeanos is fine, but if it were to reach the rest of the world, the damage it causes would be enough to destroy human history for the next 450 years, and that would only serve the King of Mages’ ambitions.”</p><p>“Then we just barge in and beat up the mastermind!” Kintoki exclaimed.</p><p>“How would you go about finding our culprit inside such a gigantic creature?” Boudica wondered. “While we’re busy searching, Aspidochelone could potentially wreck entire countries.”</p><p>“Ugh…”</p><p>“She’s right,” Mata Hari frowned. “Speed is of the essence here. There has to be something we could do to at least paralyze the monster so it can’t go anywhere. After all, a stationary enemy is easier to defeat than a rampant one.”</p><p>Da Vinci raised her eyebrows, then murmured to herself, “Paralyze, hm? Perhaps if we do this… and then…”</p><p>Gilgamesh glared at her. “What is it, woman? Do not leave your audience in suspense.”</p><p>“It’s just an idea I have. I believe all the tools are already in place, so all that’s needed is a coordinated plan.”</p><p>“How fascinating. As I have no interest in laying eyes upon those hideous Fomorian statues any further, it is imperative that you and I discuss what this epiphany of yours is while the other mongrels are busy with their investigations.”</p><p>“Sounds good. For it to work though, I’m going to need your help with contacting the child Servants inside Aspidochelone. Having them cripple it from within will inevitably be a massive boon to our strategy.”</p><p>“So a two-pronged assault from the outside and the inside, hm? Very well. Once we figure out what to do, I will relay those orders to the runt.”</p><p>Emiya sighed and muttered, “Guess it’s back to the hunt. Well, I can’t say whether it’s fortunate or not that the kids were devoured. If they hadn’t, fighting that thing would have been <em>much</em> harder for us.”</p><p>Cuchulainn Alter became disturbingly silent. He refused to make eye contact with the sardonic Archer, and he stepped out of the cottage to head for the beach, intent on diving back underwater. Emiya likewise couldn’t say anything to him as recompense for his harsh comment. All they could do was accept the facts, swallow their worries, and continue performing their tasks.</p>
<hr/><p>Connla, Heroine X and Beowulf stared at Lucius for a long moment. None of them were expecting the Roman to outright call them a faction, especially since all of them were Rogue Servants to begin with. For them to be labeled an official team meant that they had to put their individual goals and personal vendettas aside in order to cooperate with each other, and that was quite a shock to the three Servants.</p><p>The Grendel Slayer wryly muttered, “Dude, don’t make such decisions without consulting with the rest of us first.”</p><p>Lucius snapped, “As if I need to! My proclamation is that two of us will venture to Uma, while the others head for Zhou! Then, we can coordinate a dual strike against their Fomorian idols, thereby crippling them simultaneously!”</p><p>“Hmm…” X murmured. “It is a rather basic stratagem, yet given our limited numbers, I can see the merits behind it. With both statues ruined, the two countries will have no choice but to listen to the truth. Then, we can combine our Servants into one solid force and go after Roma later.”</p><p>“Exactly! Glad to see <em>someone</em> understands, even if your mere presence causes my blood to boil for some unknown reason!”</p><p>Connla anxiously scratched her chin and thought, <em>Uh oh. Now that I think about it, Miss X’s true name is Artoria Pendragon, isn’t it? She may be an alternate version of King Arthur, but she was still responsible for defying Lucius Tiberius and killing him. Not to mention that Sir Beowulf doesn’t get along with him already…</em></p><p>Aloud, she said, “Then I’d be happy to accompany Lord Lucius to whichever faction he wishes to sabotage. Preferably, I would like to go to Zhou so that I can punish Lady Wu for taking advantage of me. If he wants to go to Uma though, then I won’t mind.”</p><p>“Oh ho,” Lucius murmured. “At least one of you is willing to exercise a healthy amount of humility. Conquering the weakest of the three factions would normally be beneath my stature, but if Lugh’s granddaughter is requesting it, then by the honor of inheriting his name, I am compelled to oblige. Very well then! You and I shall henceforth march for Zhou and ensure that it is brought to shambles!”</p><p>Beowulf shrugged and said to X, “Guess that leaves us with Uma.”</p><p>“No problem. There is a particular Rider that I seek to cross blades with.”</p><p>“I’ve heard about their Archer as well. Testing my might against the <em>Mahabharata</em>’s one-man army could prove entertaining.”</p><p>As Beowulf and X headed in the direction of Uma, Connla ran ahead of Lucius and asked, “Shall we get going then?”</p><p>“Patience now, young one,” the red-haired swordsman urged while following her. “I can sense that you are eager to engage in shameless vandalism, but we are still dealing with a viable country’s worth of Torturers and loyalists.”</p><p>“Well, wrecking the statue is one thing. I’m just more concerned about rescuing Jack somehow. If she really is poisoned, then I need to have a word with Lady Wu about curing her. I’m sure that means I’m going to have to fight her though.”</p><p>“As if there was any doubt about putting that wench to the blade?”</p><p>“Um… Well, the thing is… No, I suppose not,” Connla murmured sullenly. She had to remember that the Wu Zetian from her dream and the one here were two different people. The trouble was that she preferred rationalizing with the empress by showing her the truth about the statues. If Wu understood what was going on, then perhaps there wouldn’t be any need for violence. She sincerely doubted it was going to be that simple though, so she needed to be ready for anything.</p>
<hr/><p>“Elizabeth Bathory…” Jack murmured. “As in, the Hungarian Countess who killed hundreds of people?”</p><p>“Bah. That refers to my adult self,” the pink-haired dragon girl grumbled. “I’m a Servant who represents the Elizabeth Bathory from before she committed those crimes. Believe me, I’m just your average 14-year old teenage sweetheart who dreams of fame and stardom. Of course, if that woman Carmilla was still around, she’d be going mental about wanting to extract every last ounce of your blood to sustain her beauty, or some other bollocks like that.”</p><p>“But aren’t you and Carmilla the same pers-?”</p><p>
  <em>“No, no, and <strong>NO!</strong> That woman and I couldn’t be any more different if fate tried!”</em>
</p><p>“Uh…”</p><p>Elizabeth sighed and said, “Well, never mind that. Right now, I’m just relegated to being Wu Zetian’s scullery maid and personal meat shield. But the rags to riches stories are always the best ones, aren’t they? The oh-so tragic heroine, trampled beneath the heels of her benefactors, suddenly rises from her knees and is adorned in a pretty dress, which then gives her the strength to conquer her unfortunate past and inspire generations to come!”</p><p>Jack really wasn’t sure where Elizabeth was going with this discussion, so she kept quiet and let her ramble on.</p><p>“Oh for Pete’s sake, don’t look so confused!” the excitable teenager barked. “Think about it! I’ve been waiting a long time for my chance to escape this dreadful place! And now, the stars have aligned in my favor now that I have a fellow comrade in this miserable hellhole called a faction! Come on, now! Don’t you want to stick it to the man… erm, woman, and wrestle the antidote from her cold, dead hands!?”</p><p>“Of course I’d do anything to be free of that meanie empress. But, I really don’t know anything about this place, or how everything works.”</p><p>“Does this mean it’s time for an exposition dump? Well look no further than your loveable partner in crime! I get to exercise my vocal cords, and you get to understand how Zhou’s empire has expanded at the expense of so many others! It’s a win-win situation!”</p><p>“Are you sure? Won’t those scary ladies in the purple robes punish you for planning a… um, what was it called again? A <em>coup de grâce</em>?”</p><p>“No, a <em>coup d’etat</em>! And it’s no big deal, so long as we keep our mouths shut while around other people. This society thrives on snitching, after all. If those lemmings think their neighbor is up to no good, they’ll run and tell the Kuli about it. Things like evidence and fair trials have no place here – all that matters is absolute obedience to Wu Zetian and the Manual of Accusation.”</p><p>Jack became quiet. Uncertainty welled within her, as she didn’t know if she should go along with Elizabeth’s plan or opt out while she could. Even so, she really had no information about how Zhou operated, and if she wanted to exploit any sort of weakness, she would have to listen to Elizabeth’s story.</p><p>After a long pause, Jack said, “… Okay. Let’s walk around and act like you’re showing me the ropes. That shouldn’t attract any attention from the snitchers or the scary ladies.”</p><p>“Good stuff!” the dragon girl beamed, then guided her new companion outside of Zhou Palace. For the next few hours, they explored the city’s locales, including various pavilions, viewing towers, small parks, and recreational facilities. Oddly enough, there were no restaurants available, and there seemed to be a distinct lack of farms. Elizabeth prattled on about each location, but nothing particularly stood out for Jack. It wasn’t until they returned to the central square that the Assassin started barraging her friend with questions.</p><p>“Say, say, about this fountain,” Jack uttered, “is it true that bad people are actually sacrificed here all the time?”</p><p>Elizabeth visibly frowned. “Ah, you saw that, didn’t you? It’s not actually the fountain that is accepting the sacrifice, but rather the statue above it. Every faction, past and present, has had a guardian deity that everyone uses for the Ceremony of Bounty. That ritual is exactly what happened to Yan Qing and his cronies… and to…”</p><p>The teenager bit her lip, as if almost on the verge of crying. Jack noticed this and asked, “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Well… it happened to Uncle Vlad too.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I guess I didn’t want to mention this,” Elizabeth moaned, “but five years ago, I used to be part of the Romanian nation; the Dracul Faction. Uncle Vlad was the leader, and both myself and Carmilla were his most trusted agents. We really were at the top at one time, and I thought those days would last forever. But then we suffered too many attacks from the other groups, which crippled our soldiers and resources. To make matters worse, Wu Zetian instigated a rebellion consisting of oppressed nobles, and she took this chance to claim Dracul’s guardian deity for herself. As if rubbing dirt into the wound, her very first sacrifice was Uncle Vlad – he was given up to the very same deity that he once sacrificed people to.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“Do you know what that means? Wu Zetian ruined Uncle Vlad’s kingdom, then used his miserable death to instill fear into her subjects and enemies. She discarded him, while practically declaring, ‘If you dare defy me, this is what will happen to you.’ There was literally nothing I could do to save him, since Wu had already poisoned me with that hideous gas to ensure my loyalty.”</p><p>Jack then asked, “What about Carmilla?”</p><p>“She was also poisoned, but nevertheless tried to launch a rebellion two years ago. She thought she had all the pieces in place, yet she seriously underestimated how much people were willing to snitch to get on Wu’s good side. Of course, she was executed and used as raw material for the Ceremony of Bounty. I’m literally the last remaining Servant of Uncle Vlad’s legacy, and I’ve kept myself alive by kissing the enemy’s feet. He must hate me so much…”</p><p>Jack was starting to feel rather sorry for Elizabeth. Even though she listened to her tale, there was something that she absolutely wanted to know. She thought it would cause a lot of trouble for them if she said it out loud though, so she leaned into Elizabeth’s ear and asked as quietly as she could.</p><p>“EH!?” the dragon girl squeaked, attracting odd glances from passers-by. She sheepishly chuckled and exclaimed, “G-Good afternoon, everyone! I’m just showing your newest guardian Servant around the place! She’s a little clueless about how things work here, so don’t mind if she says anything weird! Eh heh heh heh…”</p><p>The bystanders seemed satisfied with her explanation and continued on their way. Elizabeth grabbed Jack’s arm and forced her into an unoccupied alley, then hissed in her face, “Are you out of your mind!? No one would be insane enough to actually <em>destroy</em> the guardian deities! We Servants may not need to eat, but the humans living in this world do! You know what they say – hungry citizens lead to destroyed countries!”</p><p>“You mean no one has ever tried?” Jack wondered.</p><p>“Of course not! That’s practically suicide!”</p><p>“Do you know where the deities come from, or who made them?”</p><p>“Who knows? That’s been a long-lost secret by now. Although, now that I think about it, there is a peculiar property about them that I haven’t understood for the longest time.”</p><p>“What’s that?”</p><p>Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, then said, “Legends state that if a Celt or a Christian are sacrificed, the ritual will produce enough resources to sustain a faction for entire decades, rather than a few years.”</p><p>Jack became astonished. “A Celt or a Christian?”</p><p>“Why do you think the Zhou Faction exploded in power after only just five years? That’s not possible unless you sacrifice one of those two, and Uncle Vlad <em>was</em> a staunch Christian.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>The Romanian Lancer leaned her back against the wall and pondered to herself, “I wonder why that is. If only I could understand why it works that way, I could gain an advantage over Wu…”</p><p>Jack looked away anxiously. The moment she heard the word ‘Celt’, she couldn’t stop thinking about Connla. It was definitely a stroke of good luck that Wu had no clue the young Saber was a Celt when they met earlier. If she had known, no doubt Connla would have been murdered without a second thought. Jack was glad that Connla had not been captured, but she was likewise afraid of what would happen should Wu or any of the other faction leaders discover that there was a Celtic Servant on the loose.</p><p>What could she do to protect her friend from the guardian deities?</p>
<hr/><p>In front of the gorgeous lake that surrounded Uma, Nursery stood near Parvati and watched as rows upon rows of men garbed in armored tunics and turbans, wielding spears and shields marched in line and faced their leader with pride in their eyes. Word had reached them about Zhou’s failed assassination attempt, and their anger was simply too palpable for Parvati to ignore any longer. They wanted to topple the Chinese nation while it was weakened from Roma’s earlier assault, but the goddess insisted that the casualties be restricted to only enemy soldiers. Sometimes the other nations would kill civilians during a raid, which Parvati absolutely would not condone. Her troops agreed on that condition, especially since they didn’t want to incite the wrath of a genuine goddess.</p><p>Ashwatthama rallied the soldiers and gave each squadron their instructions. Medusa observed the proceedings, then said to Parvati, “Everything is running smoothly. The general wanted me to relay that they will be ready to march within ten minutes.”</p><p>“Very good,” the queen replied. “I trust that you will take care of things in my absence?”</p><p>“Do not concern yourself. The city will be safe under my protection.”</p><p>Parvati then glanced down at Nursery and asked, “Are you sure you want to come with me? I think you would be a lot safer in the city with Medusa.”</p><p>Nursery became agitated as she exclaimed, “I’m going with you! No matter what happens, I’m going to find Jack and Connla!”</p><p>“He he. How silly I was for asking. You’d do anything to reunite with your precious friends. But don’t forget what Ling said about Jack’s condition. If you want to save her, you will have to convince Empress Wu to give her the antidote and set her free.”</p><p>“I know that! I may be Nursery Rhyme, but now the kiddie gloves come off! Bad girls like her need to be shown that it’s not nice to trick people like that!”</p><p>As Ashwatthama approached, he heard her declaration and added, “Ooh, that’s quite the fire burning in your soul, little missy! Very nice! That’s the kind of passion I can get behind! I’m itching to bust some heads myself!”</p><p>“No,” Parvati suddenly told him.</p><p>“Eh? What do you mean?”</p><p>“You’re staying here to protect the city.”</p><p>“Seriously!? I need to command the troops and keep you safe from Wu’s guardian Servants!”</p><p>“I can give commands just fine. I have Nursery with me as well.”</p><p>“Are you sure? I’ve already told you that she’s not loyal to Uma.”</p><p>“She is loyal to her friends. Given the circumstances, there’s nothing more I need to ask of her than that. My biggest concern is making sure the guardian deity and our citizens are safe. If Roma finds out that we left our gates practically wide open for them, no doubt they will barge straight in and occupy the city for themselves. Even if we manage to overwhelm Zhou, it will be meaningless if our own home was to be lost at the same time.”</p><p>Ashwatthama frowned hard and asked, “What should happen were you to fall in battle, Lady Parvati? Who would be left to lead Uma?”</p><p>“You, of course. I’m sure the citizens would be thrilled to be led by a hero of the <em>Mahabharata</em>.”</p><p>Medusa looked away and visibly cringed. Ashwatthama seemed equally reluctant as he weakly objected, “Ah… W-With all due respect, I don’t think I’m-“</p><p>“Well, that’s just the absolute worst case scenario. I have faith that I can deliver my divine judgment upon Wu for her transgressions. We’ll just get in there, take care of business all swift-like, then hurry on back home with Zhou’s refugees in tow,” Parvati assured, then added, “Be ready for an influx of new citizens, okay?”</p><p>“Yes, ma’am! I will guard Uma with my life, if needed!”</p><p>“Very good. Now, my most trusted men, we shall advance upon the Zhou Faction and see to it that their leader is reminded of their folly!”</p><p><em>“Jai Hind!”</em> †</p><p>After simultaneously shouting the Uma Faction’s motto, the soldiers followed Parvati and Nursery down the winding tunnels in the direction of Zhou. The young Caster fidgeted her hands together numerous times, uncertain of what was about to come once they reached their destination. However, Parvati had something else on her mind as she glanced around at the tunnels they were walking through.</p><p>
  <em>I still can’t believe what Nursery told me. Are we truly walking through the bowels of a Phantasmal? Is this place we call a ‘world’ really just the insides of an unspeakably gigantic sea creature?</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Two hours after they left the safety of Aspidochelone’s stomach region, Lucius and Connla arrived at the outskirts of Zhou. He already knew how to get there, so the trek didn’t take long. Unfortunately for them, the trip was only the easy part of their mission – deciding on how to proceed from here would be especially tricky. They kept themselves hidden on a cliff that hung high over the city and spent some time observing with a pair of binoculars that Connla had brought with her from the island.</p><p>“Hmm…” she mumbled while peering around. “Everything looks normal from here. It’s just difficult for me to pinpoint any potential traps, other than how obvious it is that the Fomorian statue is just sitting out there in the open.”</p><p>Lucius grumbled, “Damn that Lilliputian wench. She’s practically saying, ‘Wanna claim our statue? Go ahead and try, plebeian!’. Even I am not fool enough to ignore the danger of heeding such a blatant taunt! Things would be so much easier if I could use my Noble Phantasm from here!”</p><p>“Absolutely not! That’d be like using a nuclear bomb to get rid of a spoiled tree!”</p><p>“Heh heh heh, I’m delighted to hear such a compliment!”</p><p>“Don’t misconstrue my words like that. If you want to create your empire, you’re going to need citizens, right? It’d be unbelievably stupid for you to just wipe out your future followers on a violent impulse.”</p><p>“I know that! Lugh’s granddaughter or not, I do not need you to lecture me on proper conduct during a delicate mission such as this! I will stay my sword and concoct a most devious plan to cripple Zhou from the inside! The trouble is that everyone already knows who I am by virtue of my glorious tenure as one of Roma’s Triumvirate. Though I am glad to possess such notoriety, it currently serves as a hindrance for me – my visage alone will spark unnecessary panic among the populace.”</p><p>Connla sighed, then said, “That’s what I figured. So the success of this mission will depend on how well I can infiltrate the enemy camp.”</p><p>“Indeed. Since you are a relatively obscure Heroic Spirit and a complete stranger to this realm, you should have an easier time with gathering information.”</p><p>“So what sort of intel should I be looking for?”</p><p>Lucius grinned. “Simple. Look around for any traps surrounding the statue, and see about recruiting Jack the Ripper to our cause. If we have three Servants, it will make fighting Zhou’s Servants that much easier.”</p><p>“In what way?”</p><p>“Wu Zetian’s two bodyguards are Li Shuwen and Elizabeth Bathory. Li Shuwen may be a loyal guard, but he’s still a hardheaded battle freak at heart. As for Bathory, I am aware of her cooperation being forced the same way that Jack’s is. She used to be part of the Dracul Faction for the Romanians, but they were conquered by Zhou five years ago.”</p><p>Connla paused as she pondered about this new information. A more concrete plan started to form in her mind, and she told him, “That’s something I can work with. I’ll go in and see what I can do.”</p><p>Lucius’ expression became stern as he warned, “Exercise utmost caution. You are lucky that no one knows you are a Celtic Servant. If anyone finds out though, your head will be put on the proverbial chopping block, and this mission will be a complete failure.”</p><p>Her eyes widened in surprise. “What? Why would being Celtic be such a danger to me?”</p><p>“Apparently, there is a legend stating that the statues will produce <em>far</em> more resources if either a Celt or a Christian are sacrificed. Doubly so if that Servant falls under both designations. Of course, now we know that it’s because they are the work of a Fomorian god. If a Celt were to recognize its origin, that would spell trouble for our mastermind’s plans. That’s why there has never been a Celtic faction in all of this world’s history.”</p><p>“Interesting…” she murmured in contemplation. “So, why exactly would it also count if a Christian was sacrificed?”</p><p>“That mystery still eludes me. There certainly must be a connection, but I cannot discern it for the life of me. Researching the outside world’s history is nigh on impossible in this sequestered hellscape.”</p><p>“I see. I’ll keep that in mind as I proceed. Um, but one thing before I go…”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>Connla raised an eyebrow and anxiously asked, “If you knew I was a Celt when you found that Fomorian statue earlier, why didn’t you sacrifice me to it then?”</p><p>Lucius was surprised to hear such a question. After a moment, he heartily chuckled, “Keh heh heh heh heh! I suppose the thought never crossed my mind! I was so giddy with delight upon seeing so much treasure that it must have distracted me!”</p><p>“Eh!? You’re kidding, right!?”</p><p>“Hah hah! Well, fear not! Even if it did, I would not be so crass as to sacrifice my favorite god’s own flesh and blood! I may have done so for other Celts, but those who are related to Lugh are off the table as far as I’m concerned!”</p><p>“Oh…”</p><p>“Come now, settle those nerves and penetrate the enemy’s lair knowing that you have the greatest Roman Procurator in your corner! Should you encounter any trouble, fire a signal of some kind and I shall come running!”</p><p>“Y-Yes, sir,” she half-heartedly murmured, then shuffled out of her hiding spot and made her way down the cliff towards Zhou. To be extra cautious, she activated her Identity Concealment skill, enveloping herself in a series of wind Runes that rendered her invisible to ordinary people, although they could still see bizarre gusts or loose objects rustling about if one paid close enough attention. Once she was prepared, she leapt down the cliff and used more wind spells to cushion her landing just outside the city’s front gates.</p><p>Two Kuli were on patrol, but they didn’t see Connla as she walked right past them. She ducked into a vacant alleyway and observed the area around the fountain. There didn’t seem to be any visible traps set up, but she wasn’t going to be deceived. While she and Lucius were journeying to Zhou, he previously warned her about how the citizens were encouraged to snitch on others in order to keep the peace. Just that very rule was enough for Connla to be wary about approaching the statue without first establishing some sort of rapport with the populace.</p><p>
  <em>I just don’t have enough information. If I could find Jack, then she may have some some insider knowledge I could use. Or perhaps there’s some way to lure the citizens away from the idol so that Lord Lucius can attack it himself.</em>
</p><p>Several ideas bounced around in the girl’s head as she made her way through the back streets. She passed by impoverished drunkards who sat around on the poorly-paved streets guzzling down bottles of alcohol. Soon, she found herself near the small red light district where men offered money to prostitutes for their services. She immediately retreated and rounded some corners until she was back in the commercial district where the fountain was.</p><p><em>Boy, getting around sure is confusing,</em> Connla thought in annoyance. <em>Maybe I should’ve thought about getting a map first instead of fumbling around like a total idiot.</em></p><p>As she looked around for a place where she could steal a map, that was when her wristband started beeping profusely. Her heart jolted in alarm as the tinny sound could potentially alert guards or citizens to her spot. Even though she was invisible, it would still warrant plenty of suspicion. She immediately covered up the beeper with her hand and scurried to a quiet spot she found earlier, then silenced the beeper and whispered, “I-I’m here…”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“How long did you plan on dismissing my summons, runt!?”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“Heek!?” the young Saber cringed and hissed, “Shhhhh! I’m in the middle of a sneaking mission, Lord Gilgamesh!”</p><p>
  <em>“Sneaking mission? What ever are you going on about? Are you embroiled in some kind of plot that is more important than heeding my call?”</em>
</p><p>“It’s kind of hard to explain, especially since I failed to update you on my situation for so long.”</p><p>
  <em>“Hah! You make quite the understatement! I will see to it that you are duly reprimanded for your prolonged absence. However, if you are currently engaged in an important job, then I will force myself to overlook your transgression in favor of accommodating your work. Now, tell me what your situation is.”</em>
</p><p>Connla spent the next ten minutes going over her mission, although she needed to be as quiet as possible while talking to him. She couldn’t give him all the details about what had happened to her over the last few days, but she told him just enough so he would understand.</p><p><em>“I see. So my prediction was correct; you are also on the hunt for those Fomorian idols,”</em> Gilgamesh said, clearly sounding pleased with himself. <em>“What an auspicious stroke of serendipity. Coordinating your attacks on the statues that these so-called ‘factions’ are reliant upon will be most convenient thanks to your training in military tactics.”</em></p><p>“I only just got into Zhou, so I need to gather more intel before making my move. I’m hoping I can run into Jack and see what she has to say.”</p><p>Gilgamesh murmured to himself, then said, <em>“Still, it is rather interesting how you say that Celts and Christians can provide exorbitant amounts of wealth to these piddling clans.”</em></p><p>Connla nodded. “That’s what my ally told me. I can understand how a Celt could get in the way of this Fomorian god, but I’m absolutely stumped on why a Christian would. I’m afraid I’m not entirely versed in every facet of Celtic mythology. Maybe Father or Brother would know something that I don’t.”</p><p>
  <em>“How crude you are, runt. Are you suggesting that I would not?”</em>
</p><p>“Eh? N-Not at all. I just wasn’t expecting you to be knowledgeable of Celtic lore. Is there something you’re aware of that I’m not?”</p><p><em>“Well now. I </em>could<em> give you all the answers, but where would the fun be in that? Still, given the importance of this mission, I will humor you with a hint. Christians are known for spreading their beliefs through brute force and regulated indoctrination of newer generations. Given that we are dealing with Ireland, how do you think Christianity could have reached a sequestered realm where pagan beliefs were already fully established?”</em></p><p>Connla became silent. That was an angle she hadn’t considered before. She wasn’t very familiar with Irish history, but she had a feeling there was an extremely important connection that could help her solve this case and confront the mastermind on more even terms. Gilgamesh chuckled, <em>“Since you are clearly struck silent by my wisdom, it would seem I have given you much food for thought. Now then, continue as you see fit. Once you have made significant progress, report to me immediately.”</em></p><p>“Yes, sir…”</p><p>She ended the transmission and sat there for a moment. He certainly <em>had</em> given her a lot to think about, but she didn’t feel particularly overwhelmed. In fact, her path became clearer and clearer as she picked up tidbits like this along the way. Regardless, her job was to scour Zhou, so she left her hiding spot and returned to the main square, still cloaked in her Identity Concealment.</p>
<hr/><p>While Connla had been preoccupied with talking to Gilgamesh, someone else had listened in on their conversation while he was out on his own patrol. Although he was a Lancer, he possessed the talent to be summoned as an Assassin, so he could mimic Presence Concealment to a certain degree. So long as he stood perfectly still, he wouldn’t risk her discovering his location. He heard every word spoken between the two Chaldean Servants, and his brow raised in curiosity.</p><p>
  <em>Destroying the guardian idols, hm? What a bold and cunning plot. And the child Servant said there is a malevolent god responsible for providing food and resources every time a Ceremony of Bounty is performed? Well, well, well! Given how stagnant things have become with finding worthy opponents, this could be the opportunity I have sought for this entire time. Challenging Servants is one thing, but putting my strength to the test against a genuine god is an experience I simply cannot pass up on.</em>
</p><p>He chuckled a strange, “Kah kah kah,” laugh to himself, then leapt high to traverse some nearby balconies so he could reach the rooftops and watch over Connla in secret. Even though her form was well-hidden with her spells, he possessed such a sharp eye that her cloaking was virtually meaningless to him. In fact, he had been tailing her for the last while ever since he noticed that a Kuli’s robe had fluttered unnaturally. He had no idea who she was, but so long as he remained on the prowl, he would find out eventually.</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE:</p><p>† - An Indian salute or slogan that can mean “Long Live India” or “Victory to India”.</p><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE #2: To those who have been waiting for this update, I sincerely apologize for the delay. I got a new computer and moved my desk to another room, so it was a real scramble to get it all set up. Now that I have a better work space though, perhaps the updates will come a little faster now. Let’s just wait and see.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Infiltration, Confrontation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 17: Infiltration, Confrontation</strong>
</p><p>Way in the outskirts of Uma, two figures concealed themselves behind some craggy rocks. They watched as Parvati, Nursery Rhyme and the soldiers marched through a different entrance leading into the deep caverns.</p><p>“There they go,” Beowulf murmured. “Now that the bulk of the army is gone, it should be easier for us to move around in the city.”</p><p>Heroine X nodded, then asked, “So what’s the plan? I know for a fact that the Fomorian idol is inside the palace, and I can sneak in very easily. The same can’t be said for you – your whole ‘burly bruiser’ aesthetic is certain to alarm the locals.”</p><p>“No problem. I’ve been to the tavern before and know some of the folks here. Your job would go a lot more smoothly if there was a distraction though, so that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.”</p><p>“A distraction at a tavern… Oh, I see. A bar fight.”</p><p>“Yep. If I’m lucky, the short-tempered Archer should come to try and stop my antics. That’ll be your chance to move.”</p><p>“Got it. By the way, you think you could order some tandoori chicken for take-out? I’ve been having a serious craving for some lately.”</p><p>“Didn’t you just eat!?”</p><p>“My personal fuel tank is surprisingly greedy when it comes to consumption. I am beginning to believe that my stomach is host to a miniature black hole.”</p><p>“No shit!”</p><p>“Ugh, fine. I’ll just raid a food stand while waiting for your mission to be successful.”</p><p>Beowulf rubbed his forehead. “You’re hopeless…”</p>
<hr/><p>At the bridge leading to Uma, Ashwatthama stood there with his arms folded and watched as Parvati left with the soldiers. He felt uneasy about letting his queen march into battle when it should have been him instead, but orders were orders. If she trusted him to protect the city, then he was going to defend it with his life. He let out a deep huff, then said to Medusa, “I’m gonna go back to my usual patrol. What do you plan on doin’?”</p><p>The violet-haired lady calmly closed her eyes, as if she was in deep concentration. Ashwatthama never could tell what the woman was thinking, which irritated him to no end. Normally he would have gotten angry and confronted her in order to force her to talk, but Parvati demanded that they get along for the sake of Uma’s safety. He tightened his lips and patiently waited for Medusa to respond.</p><p>“I will return to the palace,” she finally replied. “I’m not exactly sure what it is, but I’ve been getting this distinct chill running down my spine.”</p><p>“’Cause yer a Divine Spirit and can sense things that Heroic Spirits can’t?”</p><p>“Perhaps. I do not like leaving such hunches unattended, so I will make sure the guardian deity is safe. I’m not the type to protect the citizens anyway - humans can rot in hell for all I care.”</p><p>Ashwatthama grunted in consternation, but nevertheless understood her position. He said, “Well, whatever. So long as the city’s in one piece by the time Lady Parvati comes back, then we can act separately. Leave the streets to me, sister.”</p><p>“Very well,” Medusa murmured, then flung one of her chains so it wrapped around a pole. She pulled herself high into the air and catapulted toward the castle.</p><p>Ashwatthama watched her leave, then scoffed to himself before returning to Uma.</p>
<hr/><p>In Zhou’s town square, Connla took her time investigating the area. Since she was invisible, she could listen in to the people as they conversed with each other about life in the city. She could tell by the citizens’ collective uneasiness that they weren’t entirely happy with their living conditions. Everyone seemed to live in fear of each other, and there was a deep-rooted resentment for those who climbed up the proverbial hierarchy by snitching on others. In fact, there were rumors that innocent people had been executed, and that the more unsavory characters were enjoying the perks of such sacrifices due to Wu Zetian promoting them into higher social classes.</p><p>Alas, none of this was very helpful for Connla’s mission. Since she was a complete stranger, she doubted she could rally these folks to her cause. At the same time though, she couldn’t just outright attack the statue. Although it was tempting, the risk of her being overwhelmed by the Enforcers plus Wu’s personal Servants was too high. She also wasn’t the type to take hostages, nor would she resort to terrorism by leaving incendiary Runes behind. She needed to think of something that would cause the least amount of harm to the citizenry.</p><p>
  <em>Ugh. It’s times like these that I wish I was as bold as Lord Gilgamesh or Lord Lucius…</em>
</p><p>As Connla stood there contemplating her next move, that was when she saw Elizabeth and Jack emerge from a side street. She gasped lightly and scurried back to a safe hiding spot so she could watch them. She recognized Elizabeth from the dream she had of the alternate Fifth Singularity, yet was perplexed as to why someone as boastful as her would be one of Wu’s Servants. She fetched a small Runestone from a back pocket in her swimsuit, then energized it. The stone buzzed to life, then stealthily slithered along the ground until it was within range of the girls. Connla activated a listening Rune that she connected to the Runestone so she could pick up the conversation.</p><p><em>“What’s wrong?”</em> Jack asked.</p><p>Elizabeth sounded sullen as she moaned, <em>“Well… it happened to Uncle Vlad too.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“What do you mean?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I guess I didn’t want to mention this, but five years ago, I used to be part of the Romanian nation; the Dracul Faction. Uncle Vlad was the leader, and both myself and Carmilla were his most trusted agents. We really were at the top at one time, and I thought those days would last forever. But then we…”</em>
</p><p>Connla nodded in understanding as she heard the Lancer’s story. Soon, Elizabeth let out a mortified cry, then sheepishly placated the bystanders before dragging Jack with her into an alley. Connla hurried after them to see what the problem was. She heard them talking about the ridiculous notion of destroying the statue. Once Elizabeth stepped away to take a break, that was when she decided to intervene.</p><p>“Jack! Jack!” she hissed from the corner.</p><p>“Eh?” the confused Assassin looked around.</p><p>“Over here!”</p><p>“Where?”</p><p>Connla finally dropped her Identity Concealment so Jack could see her, then called out, “Behind you!”</p><p>“Ah… AH!? <em>Connla!?</em>”</p><p>The Saber barely had a chance to beckon her over when she was immediately thrown to the ground in a fierce bear hug! Jack’s eyes welled with tears as she sobbed, “Oh, Connla! I thought we’d never get to see each other again! I’m so glad you’re here!”</p><p>“I know, I know. Sorry for being so late.”</p><p>“What happened to you after we split up!? I wanna know all about it!”</p><p>“Oh believe me, a lot happened. I’m afraid I don’t have the time to explain every last thing though. Listen, I need to talk to you about Zhou’s Fomorian idol.”</p><p>“Fomorian… idol?”</p><p>Connla scratched her head. “Aw, shoot. You don’t know, do you? Look, the long and short of it is that I’m here to destroy that thing everyone calls a ‘guardian deity’.”</p><p>“You are!? Why!?”</p><p>“That thing’s bad news all around. Remember the story I told you about Lugh, the Tuatha De Danann and the Fomorians? Well that statue – or rather, all of the statues inside Aspidochelone – are the work of a Fomorian god.”</p><p>“Fomorian… Wait, those were the bad gods who did nothing but cause trouble, right? And the Tuatha gods were the good ones who stopped them, weren’t they?”</p><p>“Exactly,” Connla nodded. “I don’t know what their real purpose is, but the whole thing about them serving to sustain these factions with their blessings is nothing more than a front. Whoever our culprit is, they actually want these sacrifices to continue.”</p><p>Jack became angry. “That’s horrible! Mommy would never allow such a villain to get away with this!”</p><p>“Yeah. One has already been destroyed, so we need to get rid of the three that have Roma, Uma and Zhou wrapped around their fingers. I’m just having a lot of trouble figuring out how to attack this one when it’s so heavily guarded.”</p><p>“B-But if I do anything to make Wu mad, she won’t give me the antidote…”</p><p>“Don’t worry. If push comes to shove, I’ll force her to give it up.”</p><p>Just then, they heard Elizabeth’s screeching voice as she shouted, <em>“YOU WILL!?”</em></p><p>The girls jolted in total shock, then saw the dragon-tailed Lancer prance toward them as she continued yelling, “You’ll beat Wu up and get the antidote for me!?”</p><p>Connla uttered, “Uh, well-”</p><p>“That’s awesome! I didn’t think anyone had any guts to stand up to that pint-sized witch anymore!”</p><p>“Ack, keep it down, will you!?”</p><p>“Why should I!? This is a time for celebration! Soon, I’ll finally be able to hold my live concert and show Nero who is the boss of the stage!”</p><p>“Ooh, shut up already!”</p><p>Elizabeth didn’t seem to notice Connla’s frustration as she crooned, “This is fantastic! I’ll be the main vocals, and Jack can play guitar! Since you’re dressed as a dancer, I’ll assign you as my backup choreography…”</p><p>She paused for a long moment as she realized something extremely important.</p><p>“Wait, <em>who the hell are YOU!?</em>”</p><p>Just then, the trio heard footsteps rushing toward them. It wasn’t even 20 seconds before they were surrounded by armed Kuli from all sides. Connla and Jack sighed in unison, and the former grumbled, “I would be disappointed, but first I’d have to be surprised.”</p><p>“Hey, what did I do!?” Elizabeth yelled at the guards. “Put those god-awful maces down already! I’ve been on my best behavior! Can’t I treat myself to some vocal practice for a change!?”</p><p>“By order of the Empress Regnant, any and all trespassers, felons, delinquents, litterers, incessant noise makers, and all other disturbers of the peace thereof are to be sentenced to hard time in the interrogation room,” one of the soulless women declared. “Come with us quietly and you may be able to lessen your punishment.”</p><p>“Give me a break! O-Oh, I know! I was actually capturing this unknown Servant for you! See, haven’t I been a good girl!? I did the heavy lifting for you!”</p><p>Connla wryly glared at Elizabeth and muttered, “Way to throw others under the bus.”</p><p>The guard coldly retorted, “Liars will be subject to 100 straight hours of community service.”</p><p>The furious Lancer screeched, “You’re kidding, right!? If there’s one thing I’m bad at doing, it’s serving the pigs who should be herding en masse to my concerts instead! My voice, beauty and charisma are both to enchant them and to show the world that I am Number One! If anyone tries to suppress my bursting radiance, I’ll show them how much of a mistake it is! Since Wu refuses to understand my natural appeal, then I’ll just have to get a little rebellious! Come on, Jackie and Little Unknown Puppy! Let’s show these tasteless harlots what it means to get in the way of a dreaming girl’s path to stardom!”</p><p>Jack she teetered on her feet and groaned, “Uuuh, I feel dizzy…”</p><p>“Look sharp! Here they come!” Connla shouted as she brandished her twin daggers and parried a Kuli’s downward swing of her mace. She swiftly stepped to the side and cut through the woman’s stomach, then leapt backwards over another lady as she tried to stab her through the back with a long sword. She retaliated by ramming her own dagger through her opponent’s neck.</p><p>Jack regained her senses and flipped away from a pair of Enforcers as they jumped over her. They held opposite ends of a large hacksaw and dropped it over her like a crude guillotine, smashing into the spot where she previously was. They suddenly collapsed after being killed with several black throwing knives that pierced their vitals. Right after Jack threw her blades, she vaulted off a wall and dove straight for an oncoming guard. She pointed her short sword at a gap in the woman’s helmet, and it slipped through the socket to pierce her cranium.</p><p>“Can’t dodge this!” Elizabeth taunted as she summoned her weapon – a spear/microphone combination called Sarkany Csont Landsza – and twirled it in her hands before bashing it against a Kuli’s shoulder to knock her away. Another woman tried to get in from behind, but Elizabeth cheerfully winked and twirled on her toes so that her dragon tail whipped through the air. The guard was sent flying with such force that she crashed into her comrades, causing them to fall on each other in a pitiful heap. The Lancer chuckled in delight, finally able to release her pent-up frustration, as she leapt over them and energized her spear with a pink aura before slamming it upon the fallen Kuli, crushing most of them to death. She landed on the opposite side and used the colorful explosion as a backdrop for her overdramatic pose.</p><p>“Call for backup!” one guard commanded her ally, and the second woman ran off to inform her fellow Kuli. Connla didn’t want that to happen, so she hopped on a high-rise platform Rune and shot for the fleeing guard’s back while thrusting her daggers forth. She slammed into her and sent them careening along the dirt ground out into the open. People who were passing by cried out in astonishment and immediately fled the area. Connla flipped back onto her feet and glanced around, noting how conveniently emptied out the square had become.</p><p>
  <em>Well, now. It might have been tough by myself before, but now with Jack and Elizabeth causing a commotion, this is my best chance!</em>
</p><p>She grunted and charged straight for the unguarded Fomorian idol. She was about to raise her arm and call upon Lugh’s Halo once more, but wasn’t able to conjure it before a series of long thin purple needles rained upon her from atop one of the nearby buildings. Her arm was lacerated, and she had to flip back to avoid being skewered to death.</p><p>“Oh ho ho ho!” the Saber heard the familiar haughty laugh from high above. She glanced up and discovered Wu Zetian standing atop a pagoda that served as an apartment complex. The empress likewise returned the gaze with her usual arrogant smile.</p><p>“Lady Wu…” Connla murmured.</p><p>“Why, if it isn’t one of the little girls we sent on our important errand to Uma! We have to congratulate you on a job well done, as well as escaping your fate as Parvati’s prisoner! We do not understand why you harbor such hostility though. Should you not feel honored to be of service to one as grand and refined as ourselves?”</p><p>“I fail to understand your logic, but that’s not important right now! Please listen to me, Empress Wu Zetian! You absolutely need to destroy that statue! If you don’t, then-!”</p><p>“What!?” Wu shouted in abject horror. “You <em>dare </em>give us an order!? Furthermore, you tell us to ruin the foundation of our glorious kingdom on a whim!? You have genuinely lost your mind, little one!”</p><p>“No, I haven’t! I am completely and totally sane! More than that though, I am 100% serious about this! That so-called guardian deity is hiding a deadly secret that could destroy your faction! I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen!”</p><p>“Oh? Are you saying you seek to protect Zhou from this ‘deadly secret’?”</p><p>“Not just Zhou, but Roma and Uma too!”</p><p>“Goodness, your insanity certainly knows no bounds, does it? First you suggest doing something blasphemous, and then declare that you are fighting for Zhou’s enemies as well.”</p><p>“Yeah, because I know the truth!” Connla retorted.</p><p>“Hmph!” Wu scoffed, then jumped from her perch and fell until she landed squarely atop the statue’s head. She squatted while staring intently at the Saber, then said, “Whatever your ‘truth’ may be, it is inconsequential to us. You seek to threaten our reign, and so we have no choice but to render the worst punishment imaginable for you.”</p><p>Connla didn’t seem to care about Wu’s threat. Her skin paled in horror, and she cried out, <em>“Get down from there this instant!”</em></p><p>“Grrr! You still seek to confuse us with your nonsense!? What an irritating child you are!”</p><p>The empress leapt off the statue and plummeted over the child Servant. She produced a bottle containing lethal poison and opened the top before throwing it all over where Connla stood. She cried out in shock and tumbled away moments before the liquid splashed on the ground. She was caught by surprise when Wu landed next to her and stomped her high heels upon her back. Wu then conjured another bottle of poison and popped the lid off, intent on pouring the corrosive substance all over her opponent.</p><p><strong><em>“CONNLA!”</em></strong> they heard Jack scream aloud. Before they knew it, Wu was knocked away from Connla, and she skidded backwards on her feet. Jack landed after delivering her roundhouse kick, then grabbed her friend’s hand and helped her up while yelping, “Are you okay!?”</p><p>“Yes, I’m fine.”</p><p>They looked over and saw that Wu had recovered. She was especially furious now that she had two Servants challenging her. She summoned her wand into her hand and whipped it about as she shouted, “You too, Jack the Ripper!? How could you oppose us knowing the situation you are in!?”</p><p>Jack retorted, “How stupid can you be!? You can’t force people to be loyal to you through poison and dirty tricks like that!”</p><p>“It is our privilege to utilize any and all methods to achieve our desired greatness! Not that a nameless street rat like you would ever understand!”</p><p>The Assassin became incredibly irate when she heard that insult. Her eyes widened with ferocity as she howled, <em>“That’s it! I’m gonna dismember you until you’re unrecognizable!”</em></p><p>Before she could charge in though, Connla raised her arm to block passage, and urged, “Calm down. She’s just trying to provoke you.”</p><p>“But-!”</p><p>“If you kill her, we’ll never find out where the antidote is.”</p><p>“Ungh…”</p><p>“Ah hah hah hah! Now that’s more like it!” Wu laughed. “Our death is meaningless unless you know where our most precious treasure is! With that insurance policy, we can bend anyone to our will! Of course, that doesn’t mean we will allow any of you to live to become our Servants! Now that you have committed an act of terrorism against our guardian deity, meting the most cruel and unusual punishment upon Zhou’s enemies is the only way our anger shall be appeased!”</p><p>As the empress spoke, more and more Kuli surrounded them in an encircling formation. Connla and Jack grimaced when they realized just how outnumbered they were. They heard Elizabeth approach them from behind, heavily panting as she gasped, “Geez, this is ridiculous! Just how many of these bimbos did she mass produce!?”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Connla wondered.</p><p>“Isn’t it obvious that these things aren’t human!? I don’t know how she does it, but she uses her power to create her Enforcers! Even if we kill one, she can just replace it with but a mere thought!”</p><p>“I see. I thought something was off with the vast number of guards placed throughout such a small city. Lady Wu couldn’t have possibly recruited that many women throughout the citizenry, after all.”</p><p>Wu became incredibly appalled, and she shouted, “Small!? You dare call our nation <em>small!?</em> What unbridled insolence! For that, we shall give you our most special punishment, reserved for those who do not know how to watch their mouth within our presence!”</p><p>She snapped her fingers and cried out, “Come to our side this instant, Li Shuwen!”</p><p>A moment later, the group noticed a red-haired man deftly leaping across rooftops and terraces until he landed several feet away from Wu. He stood tall, shouldered his <em>qiang</em>-type spear, and smirked while asking, “You called?”</p><p>“Indeed! We bring you the most spectacular challenge you could ever ask for!” she replied and pointed her wand at Connla. “Teach that little upstart a lesson or two about respecting authority figures!”</p><p>“A lesson, huh? As an instructor, that sounds like right up my alley.”</p><p>Connla frowned hard. Just as she remembered Elizabeth from her dream of the alternate Fifth Singularity, she likewise couldn’t forget about the Chinese martial artist who challenged her counterparts Ituha and Fia-Leanbh to a two-on-one duel. She also couldn’t ignore the correlation between Li and her own mentor Scathach – both were battle-crazed teachers who loved pushing their students to the edge and beyond. With such insurmountable odds being stacked against the three female Servants, Connla needed to even the playing field somehow.</p><p><em>Guess there’s no choice,</em> she thought, then raised her arm once again and cast an Ansuz Rune. Instead of launcing it at the surrounding enemies though, she fired it directly above and commanded it to explode when it reached the apex of its flight.</p><p>“What in the world are you doing?” Wu wondered.</p><p>Li narrowed his eyes, then smiled and asked Connla, “Ah, I see. So you came prepared, didn’t you?”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“You may be youthful in appearance, but your eyes shine with years of experience. That spell you just used was actually a signal, wasn’t it?”</p><p>The empress demanded, “What are you going on about?”</p><p>Her bodyguard turned to face a completely different direction, then said, “Sorry if I’m breaking orders, but my skills will be put to better use if I keep the child’s backup preoccupied.”</p><p>“Backup? What do you-?”</p><p>Just then, she noticed a peculiar flash of light twinkle from the distant clifftops. Gritting his teeth, Li Shuwen leapt high and swept his spear in a wide arc.</p><p>“HAH!” he shouted.</p><p>His weapon unexpectedly made contact with steel. He glared into the eyes of a new opponent for a moment, then forced him off and dropped back to the ground. As the second man likewise plummeted, he let out a bellowing, mirthful laugh.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“BWA HA HA HA HA HA!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“W-What in tarnation!?” Wu snarled.</p><p>A familiar red-haired man clad in armor and a black coat draped over his shoulders landed in front of the three girls. He tapped his sword against his shoulder, arrogantly glaring at the empress and bodyguard while asking one simple question:</p><p>“Did someone call for a conqueror?”</p>
<hr/><p>Ashwatthama let out the biggest yawn of his life. He rubbed his bleary eyes and muttered to himself, “Aw shit. What the hell is wrong with me?”</p><p>Simply put, his boredom was getting worse and worse the longer he walked around Uma. Sure, he had an important job to do, but it certainly wasn’t very exciting for a battle-hardened man such as himself. He was tempted numerous times to get some sleep on any one of the benches he passed by in the park, especially since his head felt heavy and his eyes refused to stay open. It didn’t help that he had been working nonstop ever since Parvati summoned him to be her royal guard. Even so, Ashwatthama was afraid of slacking off on his patrol during this precarious time when most of the men were gone to war. He knew that his presence alone would ease the civilians’ minds, but it wasn’t very exciting nonetheless.</p><p>He felt kind of bad for wanting a commotion to happen just so he could stay awake. He needed to do something to shake off this sleepiness so he could focus better. As he headed for the commercial district, he grumbled under his breath, “Maybe I should get something to eat.”</p><p>The Archer looked around to see which establishment he should enter. He spotted a bustling Indian tavern and read through the menu posted outside while thinking, <em>Maybe I should try this place. I hear their tandoori chicken is to die for.</em></p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>KEE-RAAAASH!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Ashwatthama suddenly snapped out of his lethargy when he heard the sharp sound of glass exploding into tiny fragments and raining all over the sidewalk directly in front of him. A somewhat obese man had been thrown through the window, and he helplessly tumbled along the ground. A thinner man frantically scrambled out of the bar as if he was afraid for his life. For a moment, Ashwatthama had no idea what was going on. He soon got his answer when a dark-skinned, blonde-haired fellow with numerous scars all over his body stomped outside with purpose in his steps and a delightful grin plastered on his face.</p><p>“Heh heh heh,” Beowulf chuckled and audibly cracked his knuckles. “I’m usually a generous guy, but I make execptions when it comes to pickpockets.”</p><p>“The hell’s wrong with you, buddy!?” the obese man retorted. “All I did was bump into you!”</p><p>“Oh yeah? Then what was my wallet doing inside your pocket?”</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”</p><p>“Man, this is the problem with countries that allow anyone and everyone to pass through its gates. You wind up inviting unsavory pigs who want to take advantage of such altruism.”</p><p>“Pig, huh? Why don’t you try looking in a mirror?”</p><p>“Is that supposed to be an insult or a tired cliché?”</p><p>The obese man scowled and wiped the blood trickling down his lip. He then shot to his feet and pulled out a knife, pointing it at the bemused Beowulf in a threatening stance. He swung the blade at him several times but missed. When he found an opening, the Berserker delivered a high kick to the man’s face, knocking him back to the ground. He retrieved his knife and tried to rush him, but Beowulf instantly punched him so hard that he flew several meters away and passed out.</p><p>“H-Hey man, no trouble! It’s cool, all right!?” the scrawny fellow raised his hands in surrender and backed away.</p><p>“Is that right? Then pay for my meal and we’ll call it even.”</p><p>“But we don’t have any money on us!”</p><p>“Precisely why your partner-in-crime tried to filch me while you provided the distraction with your racist insults.”</p><p>“I-I didn’t-!”</p><p>Beowulf curled his hand into a fist and sneered, “This is what happens when you call a born Swede a <em>danskjävel</em>.” †</p><p>“Heek!?”</p><p>Suddenly, Ashwatthama got in between the arguing pair and summoned his giant chakram, using it as a shield to block Beowulf’s air-rippling punch. The Archer grinned and remarked, “Nice punch.”</p><p>“I can say the same for your weapon,” the Berserker said, then stepped back. “Huge, flashy, and larger than life. Just like its owner.”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“The hell is THAT supposed to mean!?”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“Yeesh, can’t take a compliment, can you?”</p><p>“Just who do you think you are, waltzing into the city and acting like you own the damn place!? I ought to pound some manners into that thick skull of yours!”</p><p>“Hah! Give it your best shot, Red! We’ll see who the bigger man is here!” Beowulf taunted, summoning his swords Hrunting and Naegling into his hands.</p><p>With that, the two Servants rushed at each other with reckless abandon. Anyone who was in the immediate vicinity instantly fled to avoid getting caught in the inevitable crossfire.</p>
<hr/><p>Heroine X watched the violent exchange from her perching spot atop an unoccupied balcony. She munched on some chicken skewers she stole and waited to make sure that Beowulf was successful in keeping Ashwatthama occupied. Once the men initiated their brawl in earnest, she turned away and leapt toward the palace. It didn’t take long for her to hop across the rooftops and climb along the elegant castle’s walls like a spider until she found the window leading to the altar room. She hauled herself through and flipped around, dropping to the floor without her sneakers making a sound when they made contact with the ground.</p><p>X kneeled there for a moment. The Fomorian idol was just meters away. She could just charge in and wreck it as she pleased. However, she wasn’t going to act hastily. Even though there didn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary, she sensed that something was very wrong. It was as if the very air had chilled itself several degrees.</p><p>
  <em>She’s here. If I know anything about how she operates, then…</em>
</p><p>Without warning, X slashed her sword through the air in a wide arc. At first it didn’t look like she had struck anything. Soon though, invisible threads shimmered into existence, revealing the presence of numerous chains that were interwoven throughout the chamber. If she had touched any one of them, it would have alerted the person who laid this trap to her location, giving them a chance to ambush her. Luckily, she wasn’t stupid enough to fall for such a trick. The chains retracted and were sucked back into the darkness.</p><p>“Hm hm hm…” a woman’s voice chuckled softly. Soon, Medusa stepped out of the shadows dragging her sliced chain along the marble floor. “Well, well, well. Look what crawled out of the woodwork.”</p><p>“So you finally appear, Rider,” X said, brandishing Secret-Calibur and pointing it at her foe.</p><p>“Oh my. You were expecting me? I suppose using cheese on a mouse trap has become much too obvious these days. If my understanding is correct, you are that Rogue Servant who hunts Sabers down, no? Why are you loitering in the palace?”</p><p>“Simple. I have declared all of the factions’ guardian deities to be the same as Sabers. Thus, I have made it my sworn duty to cut down the cancers of this world and bring peace to the galaxy!”</p><p>Medusa’s lips tightened into a bitter frown. She raised her dagger and glowered, “You know I can’t let you do that.”</p><p>“As if I need your permission! All of you are hopelessly clueless about the true nature of these statues! Once I destroy it, the truth will shine as bright as the light of my sword!”</p><p>“Enough with your idiotic blathering. It’s time you died already.”</p><p>With that, Medusa leapt for X and flailed her daggers about in a frenzy. The swordswoman parried each strike with frightening precision, then ducked low and kicked straight up at her enemy’s stomach. Medusa twisted her lithe body to avoid the blow and simultaneously attempted to strangle X with her chain. X grabbed it in time and chucked it aside, then slashed the air twice to generate a cross-shaped shockwave that shot for Medusa. She flipped aside, but soon realized that it was a mistake because the energy slices headed right for the Fomorian idol.</p><p>
  <em>SMASH!</em>
</p><p>X gasped in anticipation, believing she struck it. When the smoke cleared however, there was a lightly shimmering green barrier surrounding the effigy. She scowled, “Tch. Not enough, huh?”</p><p>Medusa chuckled and asked, “Did you think the guardian deities would just leave themselves unguarded like that? Not only do we Servants protect them, they also have the ability to defend themselves from potential harm.”</p><p>“Is that so? I won’t let that discourage me though! After I emulate Perseus’ feat, I can take my sweet time bringing that lump of evil curses to ruin!”</p><p>The Rider tried not to show it, but hearing the name of the hero who killed her greatly irritated her. Without another word, she disappeared from X’s vision for a brief second. She felt a peculiar gust of wind rush past her feet, and she twirled on her heel to clumsily parry the incoming dagger. Since X lost her balance, she struggled to keep up with each of Medusa’s powerful blows. Sparks rained around the two warriors, illuminating the dark altar room with momentary flashes of light. Medusa maintained a tight offensive, determined to not let her opponent regain her momentum.</p><p>Suddenly, X felt cold steel wrap around her throat. She had no idea how it happened, but the chain snagged her before she even noticed it was there. She was forced to drop Secret-Calibur and wring her hands beneath the chain before it could tighten over her neck like a noose. She needed to use all of her strength to resist the taut forces, which didn’t help when Medusa kept pulling harder and harder. The violet-haired lady’s smile was sinister and wrought with malicious intention.</p><p>X clenched her teeth and thought, <em>Gh… N-Not like this!</em></p><p>
  <em>Crack!</em>
</p><p>“Hm?” Medusa suddenly appeared vexed by a strange sound echoing in the chamber. She and X glanced over at the statue. For some reason, cracks formed in the stone, and the surface beneath glowed an ominous crimson color. The Rider’s jaw dropped as she blurted, “What in the world?”</p><p>While Medusa was distracted, X retrieved her sword and cut through the chain to free herself. However, X didn’t capitalize on this bizarre turn of events to strike down her enemy. She instead stared at the statue and wondered, “Did I actually get it?”</p><p>“That can’t be. Its barrier should be impenetrable.”</p><p>“Then why is it falling apart so easily? Is it just really old?”</p><p>“Cease your nonsense. The deities are supposed to be eternal. Why would ours suddenly destroy itself like this?”</p><p>“You tell me! You’re supposed to be its protector, aren’t you!?”</p><p>Medusa couldn’t give X any sort of answer. They watched in astonishment as the idol shattered into countless pieces. What happened afterward was truly horrifying; a malevolent black ooze poured out of the broken statue and spread itself throughout the entire altar room. Their hearts raced when they sensed a tremendously evil force loom over them like dark storm clouds. Soon, a humanoid hand clawed its way through the tar-like substance, followed by a person clad completely in black armor. A second figure likewise crawled out of the abyss, proceeded by a third and a fourth.</p><p>“This can’t be!” Medusa yelped.</p><p>X asked, “What’s the matter?”</p><p>“Those are the Servants of the British kingdom that we defeated before!”</p><p>“You mean from the Albion Faction that perished several years ago?” ††</p><p>“Indeed. The last Servants had been sacrificed to prevent them from regrouping, but…”</p><p>The silhouetted figures gradually hunched to their feet and glared at the pair with reddened eyes. The first figure’s face was covered beneath a full helmet, so the entire slit around his eyes shone like a thin line. His entire body shivered, and his armor eerily creaked along with it. He turned his attention toward X, then let out an inhuman roar as he screamed a singular name:</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“ARRRTHUUUUU~UUUUURRRR!”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTES:</p><p>† - Swedish for ‘son of a bitch’ or ‘motherfucker’</p><p>†† - Alternative, antiquated name for the island of Great Britain.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Grudges of the Sacrificed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 18: </strong>
  <strong>Grudges of the Sacrificed</strong>
</p><p>Near the northeastern sector of Okeanos known as the Sunken Rock Seas, Cuchulainn Alter was already swimming in the direction of the mana threads that he sensed leading to somewhere beneath the ocean. He rocketed through the water so quickly that he literally blew apart entire schools of fish in his mad pursuit. His mind blocked all other thoughts besides finding the Fomorian idol and wrecking it as soon as possible. As he shot closer and closer to his target, he discovered it resting within a bed of submerged boulders, almost blending in with its surroundings had it not been glowing that familiar ominous green color.</p><p>
  <em>There you are!</em>
</p><p>Cuchulainn grinned widely and wielded Gae Bolg in a throwing position. He didn’t want to get close to this one like he did with the previous statue, believing there was some kind of guardian lurking in wait to ambush him. However, he never anticipated what would happen next – the effigy was showing signs of breaking apart on its own. He noticed blood-red marks glowing along the edges, which perplexed him so much that he lowered his weapon and widened his eyes.</p><p>
  <em>What’s going on here?</em>
</p><p>He knew he hadn’t done anything yet, so he had every right to be confused. The statue disintegrated into worthless pebbles and rocks, releasing a thick cloud of grey dust that obscured it for a few moments. Suddenly, the milky cloud burst in the center as a clean circle. Something emerged from the wreckage and shot straight for the bewildered Cuchulainn. He snarled and raised Gae Bolg in time to parry a powerful blow that sent him shooting backwards. He tumbled several times before righting himself and glaring at whatever attacked him.</p><p>The figure turned out to be a long-haired woman in her early 20s. Those were literally the only features he could make out because she was otherwise a perfectly black silhouette with shining red eyes. She cracked her knuckles, clenched her fist, then swung her arm in a 360-degree motion several times to build up power before launching herself at him like a miniature meteorite. He rolled aside to dodge a punch that could have easily blown him apart even with blocking it. He might have been one of the strongest Berserkers in all of Chaldea, yet even he wasn’t fool enough to try challenging such ridiculous bursts of strength head-on. He decided to swim for the bed of rocks and see about losing her before striking her down.</p><p>Cuchulainn weaved through the boulders and hid himself behind a particularly large stalagmite. Things were quiet for a few minutes, yet those seconds passed by as slowly as an eternity for him. He thought he had outwitted her, so he peered around to see what was going on. That was when the water rippled unnaturally, making his insides feel like so much squishy jelly that he wanted to vomit right there. The stalagmite fractured into large pieces before shattering apart, forcing him back out into the open. The Shadow Servant hadn’t bothered with meticulously searching for him – she was just smashing rocks into pieces to get rid of any potential hiding spots.</p><p><em>This is ridiculous,</em> Cuchulainn thought bitterly.</p><p>Growing irritated with staying on the defensive, he rushed in while the lady was reeling from her latest blow, and he swung Gae Bolg to try and decapitate her. She elegantly flipped backwards, then returned to deliver numerous punches and kicks at him. He had to do everything he could to avoid each strike, then found his chance to slash his spear against her back. She didn’t seem to care though, and she turned around to deliver a massive blow at his solar plexus. Every ounce of air was forced out of his lungs, and he coughed up blood. Then the lady reared her leg back before slashing it upward like a pendulum, kicking his chin and launching him straight for the surface. Cuchulainn broke through the water and helplessly sailed over the ocean.</p><p>
  <em>Why? Why is this happening…?</em>
</p><p>He regained his senses enough to adjust himself so he could keep his eyes on where the Shadow Servant was. A split second later, she dove out of the ocean as beautifully as a leaping dolphin, then raised her arms and clasped them in prayer. That was when he noticed a peculiar pink light shine beneath the water, followed by a mighty splash. Some kind of dragon with a lion’s head and an ox-like body emerged and roared, rippling the water around it for several miles. Cuchulainn gasped when he realized what the monster was.</p><p>
  <em>Tarasque! Then that wench has to be Saint Martha, the holy woman who tamed it!</em>
</p><p>He couldn’t understand why he was fighting such a revered saint. For a moment, he thought about the stone statue and who would be responsible for placing them throughout Okeanos.</p><p>
  <em>A Fomorian god… A Christian Servant, corrupted to do its bidding… The Lughnasadh festival…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fomorian…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Christian…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>My father…</em>
</p><p>Finally, something clicked in his mind. He let out an even more startled yelp.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“That’s it!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>An incredible mixture of rage, desperation and horror overcame him. While he was distracted with his emotions, Tarasque exploded out of the ocean upon Martha’s command and shot for Cuchulainn. The Berserker snarled and spread his arms out. His body was wholly enveloped in a sinister black-and-red aura for a few seconds, then he furiously plummeted towards the beast clad in his Curruid Coinchenn armor and claws. The two monsters made such an impact that waves were sent rushing away from them for miles in a circular formation.</p><p>Little by little, Cuchulainn’s armor began to crack and disintegrate as he struggled to break through Tarasque’s shell. He eventually found a weak spot in his enemy’s chest, and he blasted through with no remorse. Tarasque screamed in pain as a massive hole was left behind, and it shattered into millions of particles. Cuchulainn wasn’t done yet; even though the assault ruined his claws and armor, he still had to destroy Martha. He shot head-first at the surprised woman and pierced the fractured horn on his helmet through her heart. They splashed into the ocean and hit the bottom together. The Shadow Servant suddenly burst into a cloud of pure Void Dust all around Cuchulainn, obscuring him within a whirlwind of pure darkness.</p><p>He returned to the surface and gasped for air while letting his Noble Phantasm vanish. His heart was still rushing, not from the adrenaline of the battle, but rather from what he realized. He wasn’t the type to get afraid that easily, yet a dreadful panic refused to let go of him as he thought about Connla, Jack and Nursery.</p><p>
  <em>Oh god… If those kids make contact with a bastard like that…</em>
</p><p>He didn’t want to imagine it. He had to do something… <em>anything!</em> He shook his head to try and dispel his fear, then dove underwater and swam back to the main island.</p>
<hr/><p>At the same time on the Isle of Wyverns, Jing Ke flipped backwards after blocking an unexpected sword strike. She got back on her feet and fiercely glared at her opponent – a Shadow Servant who had emerged from a Fomorian idol that destroyed itself. He had long wavy hair and was clad in heavy armor and a cape, but was otherwise a black silhouette. She recognized him from previous missions in Chaldea however, and she declared, “So you’re Saint George, better known as Georgios, the dragon-slaying knight. How strange that you would show yourself on an island inhabited by wyverns.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>Emiya shot down an incoming dragon, then said, “It would appear that our saintly friend doesn’t appreciate the irony of this situation.”</p><p>“So it would seem,” the assassin agreed.</p><p>Nitocris raised her staff and commanded a horde of golden scarabs to flock around some dragons, forcing them to scatter away. She then wondered, “Even so, why would the effigy destroy itself? We barely just got here and it was already in pieces.”</p><p>Jing Ke glared at the Shadow Servant as he got into his fighting stance, and she retorted, “I’m afraid we won’t have the luxury of pondering that answer.”</p><p>Right after she said this, she leapt at him and flailed her knife about. It made contact with Georgios’ sword numerous times, then she tumbled aside as he swiped down at her. She vaulted off some nearby palm trees and shot down at him again, but he twirled on his foot to avoid her before kicking her in the back. She ignored the pain and flipped back onto her feet before rushing at him again, yet Georgios maintained such an incredible defense that she found it hard to look for any openings she could exploit. The best thing Jing Ke could think of was slitting his throat, but the saint must have known that as well because he did his utmost to protect his face from her knife stabs.</p><p>Before Georgios could slash at Jing Ke’s back, he was forced away after some of Emiya’s arrows shot at him. The dark-skinned Archer ran up to his ally and asked, “Need some help?”</p><p>“As much as my pride tells me not to accept, this foe is proving to be more formidable than I expected.”</p><p>“Is that your way of thanking me for the backup?”</p><p>“Take it however you will.”</p><p>“Fine. If his legend is anything to go by, then there’s one thing I can do.”</p><p>With that, Emiya raised his arm before his chest and chanted, <em>“I am the bone of my sword. Steel is my body, fire is my blood. Unknown to Death, nor known to Life. So, as I pray…<strong> Unlimited Blade Works!”</strong></em></p><p>The world around them flared bright white, and was transformed into an endless, barren field punctured with thousands upon thousands of swords. The sky was a depressing crimson color, and gigantic cogs spun in midair. Emiya and Georgios stood on opposing sides of the battlefield, and the Archer quietly projected numerous blades in a dome formation around the Rider. Without a word, he commanded his weapons to rain upon the enemy with no mercy. A thick plume of smoke rose around the blast site, hiding whatever was happening to him for a few moments.</p><p>The dust settled, revealing an unexpected sight. Emiya narrowed his eyes as he stared at Georgios, who was mounted atop an elegant white steed that shone a peculiar silver color.</p><p>
  <em>Bayard… the sacred horse than can negate an enemy’s attack once, said to be given to him by a witch who tried to tempt him.</em>
</p><p>Indeed, Bayard’s fabled power served to protect its master from the incoming flurry of weapons. There was a shimmering field encasing both rider and steed in a silvery orb, powerful enough to deflect every last blade so that they both remained unscathed. However, Georgios remained perfectly still. He made no motion to assail Emiya after his Noble Phantasm failed to wound him. The Archer’s lips curled into a satisfied grin.</p><p>
  <em>Too bad Bayard can’t block two lethal attacks at the same time.</em>
</p><p>Indeed, he noticed that there was a second figure hunched over Georgios’ back. It was Jing Ke; she had used the smoke as cover to get in close, wait for Bayard to negate Unlimited Blade Works, then leap in and use her own Noble Phantasm to drive her knife deep into the Shadow Servant’s spine. Her voice sounded chilling as she murmured, <strong><em>“All I Do Is Kill…”</em></strong></p><p>Suddenly, a gigantic spray of black blood splattered out of the cut. Jing Ke leapt off of Bayard and landed next to Emiya, and they watched as Bayard disappeared in a flurry of pure white particles, while Georgios collapsed to the ground and his form disintegrated into a pile of harmless Void Dust. Emiya’s Reality Marble dispelled itself shortly after, returning their surroundings to normal.</p><p>Since Nitocris had not been dragged into the alternate dimension, she needed to fend off the incoming wyverns and thus didn’t know what was going on. Once she saw the mound of human-shaped black ash though, she rejoined her allies and asked, “Did you guys get him?”</p><p>“Yes. The Shadow Servant is no more,” Emiya replied.</p><p>“Good! Let’s get out of here already! I swear, these dragons are simply too stupid to understand when to call it quits!”</p><p>“I agree. They must be furious with us for intruding on their territory.”</p><p>The three Servants hurried back to the sailing vessel and shot away from the island as fast as they could. Jing Ke navigated the boat, Nitocris provided directions, and Emiya stood at the rear to shoot down any dragons that attempted to ambush them. Once they were around 10 kilometers away, the monsters ceased chasing them down and returned to their nest, allowing the trio to finally relax and think about what just happened.</p><p>“A Shadow Servant inside a Fomorian idol, huh? This keeps getting more and more interesting,” Emiya said.</p><p>Nitocris narrowed her eyes, then said, “Furthermore, our enemy was a revered Christian saint who is beloved by the World itself. What sort of Celtic god would harbor such an intense grudge against Christians that they would gladly pervert that kind of hero into doing their bidding?”</p><p>The Archer paused for a moment, then bitterly chuckled, “There <em>might</em> be someone.”</p><p>“Really? Who?”</p><p>“This is just an educated guess, but…”</p>
<hr/><p>“Guh!” Cuchulainn Prototype fiercely grunted. He had to spin Gae Bolg about numerous times to block an unexpected assault from some sort of thin sabre or rapier. He then swiped once, forcing his opponent to hop back and return to their fencer-type combat stance. Cuchulainn rubbed some blood seeping out of a wound on his face, then remarked, “Not bad. If I didn’t have Protection From Arrows activated, I probably would have been a goner.”</p><p>His enemy said nothing. It seemed they weren’t capable of speech, judging from the lack of a mouth. It was difficult to tell when they were a completely black shadow with glowing red eyes. They wore a distinct hat with a long plume attached, a long cape designed to resemble lily petals, and an otherwise traditional French fencing outfit. Determining their gender was downright impossible, though it didn’t seem to matter when they sought nothing more than their enemies’ deaths.</p><p>“Goodness,” Mata Hari frowned. “I didn’t think we’d run into someone else who is in the same profession as me.”</p><p>Boudica got in front of the dancer, wielding her long sword as she asked, “Do you know who that is?”</p><p>“Of course. He was born male, but was so androgynous that he could pass himself as a woman. He used that to his advantage to work in the <em>Secret du Roi</em>, the French network of spies, and infiltrated Russia’s court to work as a maid of honor for the Empress under the pseudonym Lia de Beaumont. It’s said that her fencing skills were an impressive sight to behold.”</p><p>“A man, yet a woman… So this is the infamous French spy, Chevalier d’Eon?”</p><p>“Yes. Unlike me, d’Eon is a superb fighter. Perhaps even more so now that they are a Servant.”</p><p>“No kidding,” Cuchulainn smirked. Despite knowing who they were up against, he wasn’t fazed by the Shadow Servant’s strength and pedigree. He actually felt excited to fight against such an accomplished swordsman, and he raised his spear for combat while whistling his admiration.</p><p>That prompted d’Eon to rush at him once more, deftly twirling on their toes while slashing their rapier at Cuchulainn numerous times. While the long whirling slashes were easy to block, the thin stabs were another problem altogether. It wasn’t easy to parry a sword that around the width of a coin using a spear, so the Celtic hero had to dance around those strikes instead. Although his dodging speed was incredible, d’Eon’s attacks were as fast as the wind. Blood burst out of seemingly spontaneous wounds that opened up all over Cuchulainn’s upper arms and chest.</p><p>Right as d’Eon whirled behind the stunned Cuchulainn and prepared to slash at his back, a series of wooden wheels barreled at them like flying saucers. Boudica had activated her Noble Phantasm to provide protection for her ally, allowing Cuchulainn to stumble away while d’Eon was battered off their feet. They flipped backwards in midair several times, then glared up in preparation to attack Boudica instead.</p><p>However, Mata Hari suddenly dropped in front of them. She elegantly folded her arms before her in a bewitching gesture, and chanted, “Bind together, open up, and drown in my embrace! <strong><em>Mata Hari!</em></strong>”</p><p>D’Eon stumbled back, completely entranced by the seductive woman’s Noble Phantasm. While she didn’t possess Mystic Eyes or any sort of charm-related magic, her entire body exuded pheromones that could captivate anyone of any gender, age, or social standing. This was her real weapon, made even more potent with her ridiculously revealing swimsuit. Regardless of what d’Eon’s real gender was, they could not resist the allure of their fellow spy. If they could speak, they probably would have opened up to her about the struggles of living a double life…</p><p>A sharp pain instantly shot through d’Eon’s chest. Their arms went limp, and the rapier slipped off their fingers to clatter on the ground. Before they knew what happened, Cuchulainn’s Gae Bolg pierced their heart and killed them. Their humanoid form lost rigidity, then melted like sand around the spear until there was nothing left but a pile of Void Dust. He stood back up and dematerialized his weapon while muttering, “Finally. Clean-up’s complete.”</p><p>The three Servants glanced over at the Fomorian idol, lying all over the sand in pieces. Just as with the others, this one had also been destroyed before they got there, and Chevalier d’Eon emerged as the Shadow Servant for them to fight. Mata Hari inspected the fragments, then wondered, “Still, why would a French Servant emerge from a statue erected by a Celtic god? There’s literally no connection there.”</p><p>“No,” Cuchulainn grimly shook his head. “I don’t think that’s the reason. If I remember correctly, d’Eon’s alternate persona was that of a Christian noblewoman.”</p><p>“So you’re saying their religious faith is the reason they showed up here?”</p><p>He glanced away from his ally, then muttered, “If the culprit is who I think it is, then it has to be.”</p><p>“What is that supposed to mean?” Boudica asked.</p><p>He didn’t want to answer her. In that moment, his fear was the same as Cuchulainn Alter’s – of what would happen should Connla make contact with this person.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Sparks splashed everywhere every time Lucius’ sword made contact with Li Shuwen’s spear. The two men were literally a storm of blades and movement. None of the other fighters dared get close to them as they were lost in their violent frenzy. Li spun his spear so quickly that it was nigh-on imperceptible to the naked eye, blowing artificial winds around him and Lucius. The Roman retaliated by activating Florent’s power, enveloping the blade in bright white light before thrusting directly into the fray. The spear was stopped dead by a force field emanating around Florent, which likewise caused the winds to calm down.</p><p>Neither of them needed to say how good the other was. The fire in their eyes was enough.</p><p>Without warning, Lucius slashed at Li’s face. The martial artist ducked back and flipped away, then used the momentum to thrust back forth and smash his free fist against the emperor’s armor. He skidded backwards for several meters before dropping to his knee and gasping for air. Both men glared at each other with ferocity and delight. Lucius was so lost in the thrill of combat and bloodshed that his movements lacked much in the way of tactical foresight, yet his strength was so immense that he could just crush his opponent without sparing a thought. In contrast, Li Shuwen remained calm and focused on how to react. If Lucius swung horizontally, Li would parry vertically. If Lucius grabbed the spear, Li would throw him off. If Lucius focused on high attacks, Li would strike at lower extremities.</p><p>Li leapt over Lucius to sail over a nasty sword swing, then pointed his heel at the Roman’s head and dove straight down, smashing his foot cleanly upon his skull. Lucius’ face smacked onto the pavement, and he had to reel for a split second before rolling aside to dodge the spear as it pierced the ground where his head was. As he scurried back to his feet, Lucius whirled his torso around and gripped Florent tightly so he could swing with enough might to carve through diamond.</p><p>The Chinese warrior scowled, then vaulted over Lucius a moment before Florent unleashed a merciless shockwave that tore through a nearby pagoda. The structure collapsed upon a group of Kuli who were hurrying to join their comrades in the battle against Elizabeth and Jack. The duo had to flee to avoid being crushed beneath the building, and the dragon girl angrily shouted, “Hey, what’s the big idea!? Where does that asshole get off with causing so much mayhem while I’m around!?”</p><p>“Stop complaining and help me fight!” Jack retorted as she danced around an Enforcer’s mace and jabbed her dagger into their throat.</p><p>“Geez! I can’t even tell who the good guys and the bad guys are anymore! Well if it’s gonna be like that, then I’ll go ahead and debut my number one hit that I’ve been saving for years! No matter whose side they’re on, everyone will get to listen!”</p><p>Elizabeth twirled her spear over her head, then slammed the blade end on the ground. This caused an illusionary version of Castle Cjete to rise from below, outfitted with monstrously large speakers. The whole scene was her personal stage and Noble Phantasm, which allowed her to unleash the full might of her supersonic dragon breath. She hopped onto the spear’s non-blade end and declared, “Time for the grand finale! <strong><em>Bathory Erzsebet!”</em></strong></p><p>She took a deep breath, then howled, <strong><em>“LAAA~AAA~AAA~AAAHHH~HHH~HHH~HHH!”</em></strong></p><p>A horrific boom shot through the town square, overwhelming any and all Enforcers who were unlucky enough to be caught in its range. The lethal decibels were enough to shatter their eardrums and rock their brains inside their skulls, forcing them to collapse and disappear as black dust. The building that Lucius destroyed was also caught in the crossfire, and it exploded into a huge cloud of dust and wooden particles.</p><p>The Roman covered his face and coughed, then cursed, “What in the Nine Hells was that repulsive noise!? It’s just as bad as Nero’s verbal flatulence that she calls singing!”</p><p>“Heh heh… Nothing more than the cries of a dreaming maiden, my friend,” Li bitterly chuckled.</p><p>Lucius would have retorted, but that was when he noticed rapid movement from the corner of his eye. Li spotted it as well and looked over to see sparking flashes from a different battle being waged.</p>
<hr/><p>Dozens upon dozens of violet-colored needles materialized at Wu’s mental command and launched themselves at Connla. She thoughtlessly ducked, rolled, and tumbled her way through the fusillade until she was mere feet away from Wu. She then hopped and performed a series of rolling kicks in midair, pummeling the empress’ face with her feet several times. Connla landed at the same time Wu collapsed onto her back, but the Assassin remained focused enough to conjure more needles at her young foe. Connla backflipped and fled from the onslaught to give herself some space, deflecting any magical weapons that got too close to her liking.</p><p>“You won’t escape!” Wu declared and summoned hundreds of needles to throw at her.</p><p>Without a word, Connla hurried for a nearby table, flipped over it like it was gymnastic equipment, and knocked it on its side so she could use it as a temporary shield. Most of the lavender stingers were absorbed into the wood, penetrating so deeply that they missed skewering her by millimeters. Her heart pounded from the close call, but she wasted no time appreciating her lucky break as she thought of a way to confound Wu. She summoned a Ken Rune and shot some small gusts of wind in one direction, causing Wu to glare that way and shoot more needles. Connla dashed out the opposite side and ricocheted off of the nearby walls to close the distance between them again.</p><p><em>“Impudent little girl!”</em> the empress raged, then reached for a dead Kuli’s spiked mace and violently swung it at her. Connla tumbled along the ground to avoid the first strike, but noticed too late that a second swing was bearing straight upon her head. In a swift motion, she got on her hands and thrust her foot in an upward kick. While it was strong enough to counter the falling mace, a couple of thin spikes punched through her flesh and bones. Aside from her bared teeth, she didn’t show any sign of how excruciating it was.</p><p>Wu widened her eyes in horror and squealed, “This is crazy! That sort of pain would make a grown man fall on their knees and beg for mercy! Why do you remain unperturbed!? Why do you throw your body away so carelessly!?”</p><p>Connla was shockingly expressionless as she murmured, “My mother trained me well in the art of resisting torture.”</p><p>“Wha-?”</p><p>
  <em>“Hyaaah!”</em>
</p><p>Still standing on her hands, the young Saber twisted her body around and dislodged her foot from the mace, simultaneously throwing Wu using her legs. The pain in her foot was absolutely agonizing, but she ignored it and used her remaining foot to right herself and launch at the dumbfounded empress. Before Wu could conjure more bottles of poison, Connla fired a volley of Ansuz Runes at her, shattering each vase one by one so that their contents uselessly spilled all over the ground.</p><p>“This can’t be happening! <em>This can’t be happening!</em>” the irate ruler seethed.</p><p>The Celtic Servant ran for her bewildered opponent, then made her daggers disappear before reeling her arm back and spreading her hand out. Small <em>riastrad</em> lines formed on her face as she clenched her teeth in frustration.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>SLAP!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>The sharp sound reverberated throughout all of Zhou. The many Enforcers that surrounded Jack and Elizabeth suddenly stopped and glanced over at their liege in unison. The girls likewise heard the unexpected noise and looked to see what it was. Li Shuwen and Lucius paused their match and shifted their eyes toward Connla and Wu, yet refused to lower their guard in case one tried to ambush the other during this distraction. The atmosphere between them was so tense that everyone was afraid the world would shatter if they disrupted them needlessly. Connla stood hunched over Wu, who had fallen onto her side and held her swollen cheek in a confused daze.</p><p><em>“THAT’S ENOUGH!”</em> Connla raged in her more mature voice, hardly sounding like a child in this moment. She grabbed her dress and shouted into her face, <em>“You need to open your eyes! You have no idea of the dark forces you are playing with, Wu Zetian! You think you’re the one sitting at the top of this demented hierarchy, but you’re actually nothing more than a pawn in someone else’s game!”</em></p><p>Wu stared at the furious Celt. “U-Us… a pawn…?”</p><p>“That’s right! That statue you call your guardian is actually a ticking time bomb waiting to go off on another’s command! I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen to you, nor to anyone from the other nations! Honestly, I never though you would sink yourself to such blatant indolence!”</p><p>“H-How could you say that!?”</p><p>“You’re the type of person to grasp victory with her own hands rather than rely on another’s power!”</p><p>“Eh?”</p><p>“If your land is infertile, then you till it! If your water is tainted, then you purify it! If the nobles rebel against you, then you purge them! If others doubt your abilities, then you show them what you’re capable of! That is how you show your love for your country – through your own efforts! That is the true essence of Wu Zetian, the empress who displayed such determination that the Throne of Heroes recognized her for it!”</p><p>Wu’s eyes widened in astonishment. “You truly… think of us that way?”</p><p>“If you really care for your country and its people, then abolish this sacrificing system immediately! For you to be reliant on it is to admit that you are weak and powerless unless others die for you! Is that the legacy you want to create for yourself!? To be a coward who sits on a throne of corpses loaned to you by someone else!? I sure as hell don’t think so! I know you’re better than that!”</p><p>“But… why do you say such things… about the guardian? What do you know… that we do not?”</p><p>Connla released Wu, turned to face the statue, then summoned her daggers into her hands and said, “I’ll show you the truth.”</p><p>The empress grabbed her leotard and pleaded, “Wait, don’t do it! Don’t destroy our statue! If you do, then Zhou is finished!”</p><p>“Zhou never had a ‘start’ to begin with.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“From the moment of its inception, it was designed only to fail. Not just Zhou, but every faction that has ever come along. If you run out of Servants to sacrifice, then you turn to the men. If no men are left, then the women are next. The children may either be next in line, or grow with such resentment that a revolution would be inevitable.”</p><p>Zhou’s citizens listened to Connla’s words, and silently agreed with her. She continued, “In other words, these stupid ‘factions’ are just glorified pyramid schemes erected over and over again for the true enemy’s purposes. What their motives are, I couldn’t tell you, but I know for sure that this has to stop.”</p><p>Wu couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She got back to her feet and asked, “Even so, what proof do you have of such an odious scheme’s existence?”</p><p>“Just watch.”</p><p>Connla got into a sprinting stance, then was about to charge at the statue in the town square. That was when everyone heard the strange sound of splitting stone pierce through the silent air. Connla stopped herself when she caught the noise and looked around to see where it was coming from. Her eyes returned to the statue, and that was when she saw them - long, distinct cracks slithered along the stone effigy, and a bloody red glow shimmered beneath the surface so that they resembled demonic scars. A black ooze poured out of the wounds and tainted the crystal clear fountain water.</p><p>As the pieces splashed into the muddy fluid one after the other, Connla gasped hard and blurted, “No way! Is the idol actually destroying itself!?”</p><p>“You’re kidding, right? What nerve, bringing itself to ruin before I could render it asunder myself!” Lucius snapped.</p><p>Jack grew increasingly confused, then asked, “Hey, isn’t this supposed to be a good thing? Now no one will be sacrificed to these awful deities anymore.”</p><p>“Yeah, but who’s destroying them!? Certainly not any one of us!” Elizabeth barked.</p><p>Li Shuwen smirked lightly. “Looks like the little one’s claims about an evil god have some merit. They must have realized that they were compromised and opted to shed its tail in retreat.”</p><p>Wu was absolutely distraught as she watched her statue – nay, the very foundation of her kingdom – crumble into useless fragments before her very eyes. The empress lost her grip on sanity and screamed, <em>“STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP! WE COMMAND YOU TO STOP!”</em></p><p>She hurried for the statue to see if she could do anything to repair it. Connla took chase while shouting, “It’s too dangerous! Please get back!”</p><p>Wu clamored into the fountain and reached out for the crumbling idol. Suddenly, some kind of distorted voice howled so loudly that she backed away and squeaked in fright, “Wh-Wh-Wh-What is this!? A ghost!? An angry spirit!?”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“HRRAAAAAAAAH! WU ZETIAAAA~AAAA~AAANNN!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“We… we don’t… N-No, please… Anything but ghosts…” the girl trembled helplessly.</p><p><em>“LADY WU!”</em> Connla shrieked and tackled her aside. It was a good thing she did, for an instant later, sinewy black tendrils burst out of the center of the destroyed statue and attempted to run Wu through like a series of long swords. The girls tumbled along the ground for a moment. Connla grunted as she got to her knees and asked Wu, “Are you all right?”</p><p>“Y-Yeah… Truly, we do not know what’s going on… Were there <em>ghosts</em> inside our deity this whole time!? Oh, the very thought is too repulsive to comprehend!”</p><p>“I’m not sure, but there’s definitely something emerging.”</p><p>The Saber stood guard in front of the frightened empress, while everyone’s eyes were fixated on the black aura bleeding out and tainting the fountain. Soon, the darkness wrapped around itself as three distinct cocoons, and gradually materialized into a trio of pitch-black humanoid silhouettes. Each of them stood tall in the darkened water, each glaring upon the astonished crowd from three different directions.</p><p>“Hey, Connla!” Jack shouted as she ran to her friend’s side. “We’ve seen these before!”</p><p>“Yeah, definitely. I don’t know what their True Names are or why they’re here, but those are unquestionably Shadow Servants.”</p><p>“S-Shadow… Servants?” Wu wondered and shakily got back on her feet. “So they’re not ghosts?”</p><p>“Well, I’m pretty sure Servants themselves already qualify as high-density ghosts comprised of mana.”</p><p>
  <em>“Just because we are a Servant, don’t just calmly call us a ghost like that!”</em>
</p><p>“Oh boy,” Connla sighed once she realized how hopelessly phasmophobic Wu was. She then said, “If you’re worried about them being lingering spirits or poltergeists that require exorcisms to banish them, then that’s not a problem here. They’re Servants just like you and me – defeating them in a fight will be sufficient enough to be rid of them. If we’re lucky, we could acquire some Void Dust to bring back to Chaldea.”</p><p>“Really?” Wu uttered. She inhaled a deep breath, then chuckled, “Ah, ah hah hah hah! Of course! We would not be so fool as to mistake a Servant for a commonplace haunt! We were just grossly misinformed, that is all!”</p><p>Jack grumbled, “Yeah, whatever. So do you know who these Servants are supposed to be?”</p><p>“Let us see… Hm?” the empress squinted to inspect their features. “That combat stance… That hairstyle… That long spear… That regal aura… And that distinct hoop dress… Unbelievable! Those are the three Servants we have sacrificed during our tenure as Zhou’s ruler!”</p><p>“Who might they be?” Connla wondered.</p><p>“I watched that shirtless guy with the super-long ponytail be sacrificed,” Jack said. “I think they said his True Name was Yan Qing from the <em>Water Margin</em> or something. If it’s anything pertaining to stories, Nursery would know more than me. I don’t know about the other two.”</p><p>Elizabeth clenched her teeth and widened her eyes in genuine horror. She heard the others talking and called out, “I know them! The woman is Carmilla, the adult version of the original Elizabeth Bathory who is known as the most prolific female serial killer! And the third one is… is…”</p><p>“The Impaler guy that you call Uncle?”</p><p>“Yeah… The Dracul Faction’s leader, and ruler of Wallachia, Vlad III!”</p><p>The moment Elizabeth cried out that name, the three Shadow Servants leapt from their spots and dove upon the frightened crowds in different directions. They were all intent on slaughtering the human bystanders as they fled for their very lives. It almost seemed like the Servants who were present didn’t register on their proverbial radars. Vlad made his advance upon a terrified couple, and Elizabeth couldn’t react in time to intercept him due to the shock of seeing her former leader like this.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>CLANG!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Steel met steel, and Vlad was forced back when an unexpected interloper got between him and his prey. He vaulted back to avoid being beheaded by a distinct <em>qiang</em>-type spear that whipped through the air. Elizabeth glanced over, then cried out, “Li Shuwen!”</p><p>The Chinese spearman inspected his opponent, then remarked, “Oh ho, so you’re Vlad III, returning from the grave to leave his grotesque mark upon this country’s short yet storied history. Kah kah kah! Fascinating! I always wanted to test my mettle against a Lancer as renowned as you! It’s a shame you did not manifest as your ‘warrior’ self but rather as your ‘king’ self. Even so, I trust that your skills have not dulled in the slightest!”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“Circumstances prevented me from challenging you directly in the past, but now there is no need for me to hold back! Bring it, Impaler King! If you seek my death, then you’re going to have to fight your hardest to earn it!”</p><p>“Li!” Elizabeth squealed desperately. “Even if he’s a Shadow Servant, he’s still Uncle Vlad! I don’t want him to suffer any more than he already has!”</p><p>“Apologies, but it appears the man you admire has lost every trace of rationality to be worth reasoning with. If you are that concerned about fighting him, then leave his demise to me and assist in silencing your elder self instead. You may have watched your previous faction be demolished, but you are not the type to sit back and watch another one meet the same fate, are you?”</p><p>She became quiet, and her bright blue eyes showed signs of distress.</p><p>Li laughed, “Kah kah kah! That’s not the face of an idol who seeks to gather many crowds for her performances, is it!? If you want the people to admire your song, then you must ensure they live so they can actually hear it in the first place!”</p><p>“… Yeah… Yeah! Of course!” her mood immediately changed. “I know it’s being selfish, but I can’t fight Uncle Vlad on a whim like you can! Please take care of him for me! Make sure you destroy him so he has no chance of coming back!”</p><p>“Got it!” he replied as she ran in the opposite direction to confront Carmilla.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Dispelling Zhou's Shadows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 19: Dispelling Zhou’s Shadows</strong>
</p><p>With Vlad III and Li Shuwen facing off, as well as Carmilla being challenged by Elizabeth, this left Yan Qing to murderously glare at Wu Zetian. She stood behind Connla as the younger Servant got into her combat stance and prepared to face him. Suddenly, his gauntlets shone a bright gold color as he charged energy into his palms, then rushed in and thrust them at the girls. Connla’s daggers likewise flared with pure white light as she reeled back and heaved forth with all her might. Both attacks clashed with each other, illuminating the area around them in a blinding spark. Yan Qing flipped backwards, surprised that such a small girl could counter him, but he refused to relent in his rampage. He ran towards a nearby building and leapt off it, then pounced all over the place to try and confuse them.</p><p>Connla glanced back at Wu and suggested, “You should retreat. He’s much too fast for you to keep up with.”</p><p>“You do not need to tell us twice. We have no interest in associating with such a ruffian, battle or otherwise.”</p><p>The empress ran off just as the Shadow Servant performed a diving kick straight at her back. Connla got in between them and crossed her swords in front of her face to block it. The blow was so powerful that she couldn’t resist swearing, <em>“Crap!”</em></p><p>Her toes literally dug into the ground as she resisted forces powerful enough to shatter bones. It would have been much tougher had she been a Lancer, but as a Saber, her strength parameters were apparently raised from C- to B so that she could equally match Yan Qing’s B-rank strength. Despite his mind-numbing rage, he was amused by his little opponent’s resilience, and he showed it by devilishly smirking at her. Connla was so spooked by the smile that she pushed him off and tumbled away right before he slashed his heel into the ground, cracking the earth around them.</p><p>Before Connla knew it, Yan Qing’s leg rushed just millimeters past her cheek. She felt the wind brushing her bangs and sidelocks so powerfully that she thought they would be sucked out of their roots. Without thinking, she quickly grabbed his ankle and used his own momentum to flip him over, throwing him several feet away. He quickly recovered and barged at her, using his shoulder to bash her against a nearby wall, stunning her for a second. She looked up, then instinctively ducked low to avoid having her head smashed into pieces by a lightning-fast kick that pierced through the brickwork. Connla was in such shock that she couldn’t think about retaliating – she just wanted to get away from there, which she did by somersaulting across the ground for several feet.</p><p>Yan Qing would have pursued her, but he had to flip away in a completely different direction. Connla wasn’t sure why at first. That was when a series of black daggers peppered the area where he previously was. A moment later, Jack the Ripper landed in front of her friend and asked, “Are you okay?”</p><p>“Yes. Thanks for the save,” Connla replied.</p><p>Yan Qing wasn’t going to give them the chance to enjoy their reunion. He ran for the girls, and Jack furiously thrust her larger daggers at his midriff several times. His thick metal gauntlets helped him block each strike, and he grabbed her leg as she whirled to deliver a vicious kick. He hauled her off the ground upside-down and attempted to punch her in the stomach, but a volley of small fireballs courtesy of Connla pummeled him, forcing him to drop Jack. The Assassin elegantly landed back on her feet and took chase while surrounding them in her characteristic thick mist. Connla couldn’t see what was going on, so she remained on guard for a minute. She noticed sparks and flashes illuminating the cloud periodically, as if she was watching a distant storm approaching in the sky.</p><p>Soon, it was Jack who re-emerged from the mist. She let out a pained scream as she took a nasty spill. Although she fought valiantly, Yan Qing was not perturbed by the darkness and managed to land a kick to her stomach, tossing her out of the mist. It soon vanished, revealing him standing there in his combat stance looking none the worse for wear.</p><p>Connla gasped hard and glared at Yan Qing, then asked Jack, “What do we do? We might be even in strength and speed with him, but we’re not making any progress.”</p><p>Jack got back to her feet and became pensive as well. Even so, she suggested, “Remember our training from before?”</p><p>The Saber narrowed her eyes. Her friend continued, “I think you’ve come a long way since then. If we were to fight together like we were one Servant, we could take him down.”</p><p>“You mean like a tandem attack. That doesn’t sound bad. I’ll follow your lead then.”</p><p>They got ready to fight, and Jack taunted at Yan Qing, “Bring it, punk!”</p><p>Yan Qing was more than eager to accept the challenge, as he dashed in to meet them in combat once more. Connla jumped high, while Jack remained on the ground to swing her blades at him and simultaneously trying to avoid each of his well-aimed punches. They truly were lost in a frenzy of movement, interrupted only when Connla shot down at Yan Qing and kicked at his head, tossing him off of Jack. He tried to grab her leg the same way he did to Jack earlier, but she anticipated this and activated a Ken Rune, violently throwing him away with a flurry of powerful winds.</p><p>As he skidded backwards, Jack ran at him and carved her short swords into his flesh so quickly that he didn’t notice at first. Black blood spurted out of the wounds, and he pressed his hand against a deep cut over his rib cage. The girls rejoined and stood side-by-side in opposing yet identical stances, prepared to unleash hell upon their injured foe. Before Yan Qing could do anything, their assault began.</p><p>Punch… Slash… Knee jab… High kick… Dropping heel… Another punch… Thrusting kick… Jump high…</p><p>Both girls performed these motions with such incredible timing that they truly looked like one Servant had split into two. Yan Qing was clobbered from both sides before being thrown back by the last kick. That was when Jack’s body exuded her dark fog, while Connla’s shone as radiantly as the sun. They then transformed into a pair of black and white streaks that mercilessly hacked, slashed, and tore apart the Shadow Servant.</p><p><em>“Maria-!”</em> Jack shouted.</p><p><em>“The-!”</em> Connla followed.</p><p><strong><em>“RIPPER!”</em></strong> they screamed together.</p><p>In an instant, an X was carved clean through Yan Qing’s torso, flaying him into quarters before he exploded in a flash of light and darkness. The girls kneeled behind the blast, making the scene reminiscent of some climactic ending to a fight in an action movie. The civilians who had been watching them couldn’t resist applauding at such a spectacle.</p>
<hr/><p>In a different section of the town square, the Shadow Servant taking on Carmilla’s form haughtily stared at the terrified citizens. Many were so scared that they couldn’t think about escaping. To her, they were pigs ready to be slaughtered for her own amusement. She raised her scepter and summoned a small metallic tomb shaped like a woman, then launched it at a teenaged girl who had gotten separated from her boyfriend during the chaos. The tomb opened up to reveal spikes lined inside it, and the girl shrieked in absolute terror.</p><p>Suddenly, it was kicked aside by Elizabeth. She generated power in her boots so that pink hearts exploded from the blow, sending the device crashing into the ground. She tumbled in midair and landed in front of the teenager, then winked and declared, “No need to fear! Now that your Number One idol is here, that wench will not have her way!”</p><p>“Th-Thank you so much!” the girl stammered and fled the scene.</p><p>“Be sure to buy my album when it comes out! Hee hee! Now then,” the dragon Lancer grinned and stared at Carmilla. “You and I might have been allies once, but those days are over! All you’re good for now is being a stepping stone to my inevitable rise to stardom! Once I prove my devotion to my fans, they will have no choice but to flock to my concerts <em>en masse</em>!”</p><p>If Carmilla retained any of her rationality, she would have scoffed at Elizabeth and called her endeavors childish and foolish. She instead remained eerily silent and leapt at her while brandishing her sharpened fingernails like they were claws. Elizabeth twirled aside, then bashed her tail against the countess’ back. Although she was garbed in an unwieldy hoop skirt, she managed to regain her footing and fired several black bolts from her scepter at the Lancer. Elizabeth cartwheeled through the fusillade and stabbed her spear at Carmilla several times. Somehow she managed to avoid each thrust, then raised her leg high and jabbed the pointed high heel of her shoe right into Elizabeth’s shoulder. Blood spurted out of the wound, forcing the surprised girl to leap away.</p><p>“Damn it,” she winced. She dared not show her weakness to the onlookers though, so she took a deep breath and straightened up while glaring at Carmilla. Many would be confused as to why the Countess of Blood was so agile, but Elizabeth knew perfectly well.</p><p>
  <em>Of course she would know how I fight. She was once me in the past…</em>
</p><p>She jumped straight up, then sat sidesaddle on her spear and rode as it thrust down at Carmilla. In response, the countess summoned a barrier covered in numerous thorns and repelled the lance. Elizabeth found herself covered in numerous lacerations after she made contact with the thorns, and she leapt off to land nearby.</p><p>Carmilla spread her arms out, and Elizabeth looked up to discover a massive Iron Maiden towering over her. She widened her eyes in dismay as the lady-shaped tomb opened its doors like it was reaching out to embrace her. Inside was a series of blood-soaked spikes waiting to skewer their next victim. Before the Lancer could react though, several violet-robed figures rushed past her and willingly leapt into the Iron Maiden moments before the doors closed in on them. Carmilla’s eyes raged in fury as she realized her strongest attack had swallowed the wrong targets.</p><p>“Those were… Kuli?” Elizabeth yelped.</p><p>“Ahem!” she heard a familiar girl coughing from behind, and she looked back to discover Wu standing there. After leaving Connla to fight Yan Qing, she took refuge behind her Enforcers, but soon saw that Elizabeth was having trouble fighting her opponent and decided to assist.</p><p>The empress smirked, “Even if you were once our enemy, we will not idly sit by and allow one of our own citizens to be dismembered so easily. Well? What do you think? Does our boundless magnanimity not strike you to the very core with awe and wonder!? Feel free to express praise for our timely intervention, Elizabeth Bathory!”</p><p>“Oh, spare me! I had that woman under control just fine!” the dragon girl retorted.</p><p>“Goodness. Humility does not come easily for you, does it? And here we were, about to give you the antidote that will purge the toxins blighting your very veins. Oh well. We suppose there should be a hard limit to our generosity.”</p><p>“Ah! W-Wait, I take that back! I truly couldn’t have done it without you and your most loyal retainers! I promise I’ll give you the show of a lifetime! It’ll be so grand and wonderful, it’ll make Nero’s show look like a third-rate rookie’s in comparison! All dedicated to you, the most gracious empress of all time! What more could you possibly ask for!?”</p><p>Wu didn’t look entirely pleased with Elizabeth’s pleading, but then smirked and replied, “Aw, what the heck? We’ll bite. Circumstances dictate that we must put our differences aside and confront this villain who has been controlling us like puppets from behind the scenes.”</p><p>“Boy! For once, I wholeheartedly agree with you! I’m not sure whether to be scared or disturbed by this sudden turn of events!”</p><p>“You truly are a mess, aren’t you?” Wu muttered, but nevertheless fished out a white bottle from her cape and tossed it to Elizabeth. The Lancer eagerly popped off the top and guzzled the antidote down in one gulp.</p><p>Suddenly, her eyes bulged in revulsion, then she shouted, <em>“WHAT THE HELL!? That was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever tasted!”</em></p><p>“Hey, we never said it was a delicious antidote.”</p><p>“You cheeky little bitch! When I get my hands on you, I’ll-!”</p><p>“We suggest you concentrate on the most pressing matter at hand,” Wu reminded her as she turned to face Carmilla, who was raising her scepter and conjuring dark energy around the ornate top. More black bolts were fired, but Wu countered by hurtling violet needles. They canceled each other out, giving Elizabeth the chance to run past and fight Carmilla head-on.</p><p>The countess tried to slash her sharpened nails at the dragon girl’s midsection. Without warning, the elongated cuticles were shorn off by Elizabeth’s twirling spear. She continued whirling it about, trapping Carmilla in a storm of spinning colors and flying hearts that viciously eviscerated her. Once she finished her first assault, Elizabeth turned around and heartily laughed while smashing her tail against Carmilla numerous times and shouting, “How do you like me now, Blood Countess!? Come on, come on, come on!”</p><p>She concluded by bashing the tail over Carmilla’s exhausted body as she laid on the ground. Before she could get up, a pair of shackles materialized above and snatched her wrists, then suspended the weakened woman upright. Elizabeth hadn’t been responsible for capturing Carmilla, so she glanced over at Wu. The empress smiled and waved her folding fan before her face while declaring, “No escape for you, villain. Make peace with yourself, for your sentence is the most cruel and unusual death imaginable.”</p><p>“Hey, no fair! I want to decimate that bimbo with my own two hands!” Elizabeth whined.</p><p>“Settle yourself, little lizard. We shall offer a most glorious prison upon which she shall hear the full might of your supersonic vocal cords.”</p><p>“Oh, I get it!”</p><p>Wu raised her arms, using her powers to generate a metallic urn large enough to fully encapsulate Carmilla. Elizabeth rushed around the massive container and planted some heart-shaped markings along the sides. The end product looked like some child’s poorly-made crafting project gone horribly wrong. However, both girls knew what was going to happen next. Elizabeth spread her dragon wings and flew up to the top of the urn, gracefully standing on the tip with her toes.</p><p>“Come one, come all! My show is so enchanting that you will die from awe!” she crooned, then spread her arms wide and began singing.</p><p>The hearts lining the vessel suddenly throbbed like… well, actual hearts. Although it was heavily muted, everyone could hear a disturbingly horrendous booming sound reverberating inside the urn. The hearts she had placed actually functioned as speakers to transmit her loud voice into the container, blasting Carmilla with a noise equivalent to the loudest sound ever heard – the 1883 eruption of Mt. Krakatoa, recorded at 180 dB. The entire city rumbled as if an earthquake had hit it, causing almost everyone to fall to their knees in terror.</p><p>Elizabeth remained calm despite this cacophony, and she bowed lovingly to her mortified audience before hopping off the urn. It dissolved into particles, revealing nothing but a pile of black dust lying on the ground.</p>
<hr/><p>Sparks flashed everywhere in random bursts. Li Shuwen maintained an impressive defense despite Vlad’s relentless assault. The martial artist flipped back, then ran up a wall a few steps to avoid his opponent’s slashing spear. He vaulted and took a swipe at Vlad’s shoulder, successfully cleaving into flesh and bone. Li landed, but Vlad didn’t seem bothered by his injury as he raised his hand and produced countless black spikes that pierced through the ground.</p><p>Li hurried back to outrun them as best as possible. He flipped, rolled and leapt in contortions that wouldn’t be possible for anyone except the most agile of Servants. When he found an opportunity, he finally stood firm and aimed his lance at the oncoming barrage of giant thorns. For a moment, he concentrated pure <em>qi</em> energy into his right arm. He then thrust the spear forth, generating a potent gust that was as lethal as a blade – certainly enough to decimate the spikes and throw Vlad backwards against the wall.</p><p>Li remained stoic though. He wasn’t the type to revel in his victory, even after his enemy was dead. All his attack accomplished was canceling the stakes and knocking the wind out of the Shadow Servant. He understood that it would be very difficult for him to find that chance to use his characteristic No Second Strike ability when Vlad was capable of handling both short- and long-range combat, whereas Li functioned best in close quarters. Sure enough, once the Romanian regained his senses, he stood tall and planted his spear upon the ground. A large magic circle comprised of Celtic Runes formed beneath him, then extended past Li for around 100 meters until both men were encased inside a Bounded Field.</p><p>
  <em>What is he doing?</em>
</p><p>As Li pondered this, Vlad charged at him and furiously swiped his spear. They engaged in vicious combat once more, but Li quickly realized that his opponent’s strength was far, <em>far</em> greater than it had been before.</p><p>“Damn you!” Li cursed and kicked Vlad in the solar plexus, throwing him back. Thanks to their scuffle though, he had a better understanding of the devious trick Vlad pulled on him.</p><p>
  <em>So he’s extending his Spirit Origin to the very earth he stands on, transforming it into a tiny slab of Romanian territory. Heroic Spirits who fight in the land of their birth are given a substantial increase in power, so he would definitely benefit from this Bounded Field.</em>
</p><p>He shifted his eyes to the ground and became pensive.</p><p>
  <em>However, the power he is borrowing appears to be otherworldly in nature. There is simply no way a Servant can establish foreign soil as home territory unless they had help from a greater being. Not to mention the Servant’s own mana stores are being used up in the process… Truly a last-ditch gamble, isn’t it, Prince of Wallachia?</em>
</p><p>A delighted smirk crept across his lips.</p><p>
  <em>So there truly is a demonic god hiding among us, controlling us all with invisible reigns to do their bidding. It is ironic for me to say this as a Servant, but never before have I felt so alive!</em>
</p><p>Indeed, Li Shuwen’s path was now set. All he had to do was get rid of any obstacles barring his path, starting with Vlad. He needed to control his excitement though, and that was always difficult for him when he knew there was a much worthier foe waiting in the shadows for him to confront. Nonetheless, he needed to focus on his current task. Li got back in his combat stance, then proceeded to take a lithe step forward…</p><p>“Guh!?”</p><p>To his astonishment, he found himself coughing up blood. Some sort of excruciating pain shot through multiple areas of his body, causing him to fall onto one knee. Vlad hadn’t moved from his spot whatsoever, so Li was absolutely confused as to why he was the one slumped to the ground in pain. He looked down at his chest and discovered that several stakes had spontaneously burst through his skin.</p><p>“Wh-When did he-!?” he gurgled in shock.</p><p>Vlad wordlessly made his advance once more, raising his lance over his head to try and pierce it through Li’s head. That was when an unexpected figure dashed in between them and clashed his sword against the spear.</p><p>“HYAH!” Lucius Tiberius screamed and swung so hard that it tossed Vlad off his feet and made him sail away several feet.</p><p>“Ungh… You have my thanks,” Li said. The stakes had already disappeared, leaving only gaping wounds behind. He stumbled back onto his feet and wondered, “What prompted you to assist me when we were rivals not even five minutes ago?”</p><p>Lucius chuckled darkly. “Hm hm hm! After witnessing you fight that beast, I have a better understanding of how he works.”</p><p>“Do you now?”</p><p>“His Noble Phantasm isn’t just his stakes - it is the very concept of ‘being impaled by stakes’. After all, you can’t talk about Vlad Tepes without mentioning the Night Attack at Târgoviște.”</p><p>Li nodded in understanding. The event Lucius referred to was the aftermath of a battle between Wallachia and the Ottoman Empire, where Vlad left thousands upon thousands of executed Turkish soldiers impaled on large stakes outside the abandoned city. It was a most gory and spectacular display that it inspired fear in the invading sultan, Mehmed II, and prompted him to order his troops to retreat.</p><p>He then asked, “So as long as we remain in this Bounded Field, we will further fall victim to this conceptual attack?”</p><p>“As if I would let that happen to me! Stand back and watch how a real conqueror fights!” Lucius exclaimed, then charged at the Shadow Servant while barking, “So this is your country, huh!? I like it! <em>I think I’ll take it for myself!</em>”</p><p>Vlad’s red eyes glowed brighter and more sinister than before as he met Lucius in battle. While the Roman Procurator wasn’t as fast as his hated rival Arthur Pendragon, his strength was easily A or A+ in ranking, which matched with Vlad’s own strength parameters. Each time their weapons clashed, the Shadow Servant could feel the reverberations threatening to tear out his arms.</p><p>Lucius laughed, “Feh heh heh! You may have established this small space to be equivalent to Romanian territory, but such an ability doesn’t come cheap, Impaler Prince! Even if your strength and Noble Phantasm are boosted, how long will it be before your magical energy runs out!?”</p><p>If Vlad heard him, he made no notion to retort. He simply rushed at Lucius and swiped his elongated claws. The Roman realized that blocking it would not be effective, so he quickly sidestepped. The pagoda wall directly behind him was shorn like paper as four lines carved through the structure. Lucius slipped away and attempted to round back, but Vlad sent more stakes at him to keep him at bay. The mirthful Saber felt his blood boiling with the joy of combat as he swiped Florent at the writhing spikes. Each one was decimated as he made his return charge too quickly for Vlad to concentrate on where his opponent was.</p><p><em>“Too slow!”</em> he shouted while barreling past, slashing his sword clean through the Romanian’s midsection. Lucius skidded on his feet and turned around, hoping to carve his way through the Shadow Servant’s spine. However, he gasped in utter surprise when a series of black stakes exploded out of Vlad’s upper back. Before he knew it, Lucius’ face, arms and torso were viciously lacerated, and he was forced to jump away to avoid having his head skewered. The emperor spat some blood out and cursed, “Tricky son of a bitch.”</p><p>Despite his annoyance, Lucius knew that Vlad was faltering. He just needed to keep the pressure going until Vlad ran out of so much magical energy that the god supporting him would abandon the fight. Lucius’ grin spread out so wide that the top of his head could have fallen off. Excitement coursed through his veins as he tightly gripped Florent and raised it before him. The familiar white light flared along the blade, and small petals whirled around him. He was certainly charging up his Noble Phantasm, but he made sure not to make it as powerful as when he used it against Beowulf and Connla earlier.</p><p>He then shouted, “This is the power of a true sovereign and child of the gods! <strong><em>Florent!</em></strong>”</p><p>A beam of dazzling brightness exploded out of the energized blade, overwhelming Vlad and tossing him clean out of the Bounded Field. With its master no longer present, the barrier fizzled out of existence. Perhaps due to Lucius reducing his power, Vlad was not killed in the assault, but he was heavily damaged and his spear was broken in half.</p><p>“A fine show. That contemptible field is no more,” Li commented. “But an assassination like this requires a more delicate touch. Allow me to finish up here.”</p><p>The martial artist raised his hands before him in a meditative gesture, then took a few lithe steps while slowly moving his arms about. Ripples of pure <em>qi</em> radiated around his toes, making him look like he was walking on water. He then stood on one foot, spread his arms so they resembled a perfectly vertical line, and then rushed at Vlad faster that one could blink. Li’s palm struck the Wallachian prince’s stomach, and a tremendous gust of wind exploded from his backside that decimated a few tables and shattered some nearby windows.</p><p>Li stood back up properly, then calmly turned away and murmured, <strong><em>“Wu Er Da…”</em></strong></p><p>An instant after he said that, Vlad’s form lost its rigidity and disintegrated into a mound of black powder. Lucius smirked, although he was rather miffed that he didn’t get the chance to kill Vlad himself. Despite that, he was so impressed with Li’s technique that he couldn’t keep himself from asking, “How’d you do that? I detected nary a hint of violence in your movement, yet such destruction is on par with my Florent. Furthermore, you are supposed to be a Lancer, are you not? That Noble Phantasm is most certainly not very spearman-like.”</p><p>“Flexibility, my good man,” Li replied. “A true warrior does not reach the pinnacle of just one skill – they study multiple disciplines and interweave them into a seamless web of fluid mastery. Even if my spear were to part ways with my hands, all I need to do is channel into my abilities as an Assassin, and allow my experience to handle the rest. I am embarrassed to admit that my martial arts are not as refined in this youthful body as they will be in my older years, but if the job is done, then I am satisfied.”</p><p>“You don’t say.”</p><p>As they spoke to each other, they noticed Connla and Jack running toward them. They had scuff marks and scrapes all over their bodies, but were obviously not in danger of dying. The young Saber asked, “Is everything wrapped up here?”</p><p>“With the most exquisite bow you could ask for,” Lucius chuckled and folded his arms. “I trust you have done away with your enemy?”</p><p>“Yes, the Shadow Servant of Yan Qing is dead. What about Carmilla?”</p><p>“Nooo~ooo problem!” Elizabeth shouted as she and Wu likewise joined them. “I guess we took care of things at the same time, huh?”</p><p>“Stellar work, everyone. Now we must perform a thorough investigation into why all of this is occurring,” Wu said. She faced Connla and said, “You there. We take it that you are familiar with the circumstances behind these ‘guardian deities’?”</p><p>“I don’t know the entire story yet, but I’ll give you all the information I have. Just one thing though – you think you could give Jack and Elizabeth the antidote for that poison they’re suffering from?”</p><p>“We already administered it to Bathory, but the serial killer still needs it. Very well; one antidote in exchange for compelling intel.”</p><p>The empress tossed another white bottle to Jack, and she quickly consumed it in a single gulp. Of course, she cried out after realizing how disgusting it tasted and ran off to get some water. Connla sighed, then said, “Now that that’s settled, let’s regroup and-“</p><p><em>“LOOK OUT!”</em> Li Shuwen screamed, seemingly apropos of nothing.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>Without thinking about what he was doing, he thrust his spear clear over Connla and Wu Zetian’s heads, and the blade made contact with flesh and bone. The girls glanced over agape to see what had startled the warrior. Something had hobbled its way out of the alleyway shadows and rushed for them when they weren’t looking.</p><p>“Tch!” Lucius snarled and snatched Connla’s wrist, pulling her away before another humanoid creature emerged from the ground and swung its whole arm, comprised entirely of a steel lance, upon the surprised Servants. Lucius fended the blow with his sword, then whirled around to throw the monster off him before he bifurcated it down the center.</p><p>“YAAAAH! What are those things!?” a random girl squealed in fright. Other people panicked the same way she did, and with good reason.</p><p>“Oh, <em>gross</em>! I don’t know what these fetid pigs are, but they make the Demon God Pillars look pretty in comparison!” Elizabeth ranted as she rammed her spear through another ghoul’s chest. “Oh my GAWD! I seriously think I need to take a shower just from <em>looking</em> at you!”</p><p>Wu retched in revulsion and screamed, <em>“What in Diyu is going on here!?”</em> †</p><p>“This is bad! Fomorian guardians are popping out everywhere!” Connla shouted. No sooner did she say that did she hurry to a terrified man’s aid by slaying a monster before it could pounce on him.</p><p>“I don’t believe this! Have those monstrosities been sleeping beneath us this whole time!?” the man yelped at her.</p><p>“I think so! That’s what I wanted to warn your empress about!”</p><p>“This is insane! Zhou is no place to live in anymore! Hell, it never was in the first place!” a mother raged before taking her crying children away to safety inside an unscathed building.</p><p>“She’s right! We need to get out of here!” another person shouted.</p><p>“But where to!? We’re completely surrounded!”</p><p>“The Empress Regnant will know what to do! Have faith in her!”</p><p>“Of course! She’s the one who relies on the guardian deities! She should know what to do if it goes out of control!”</p><p>“Please help us, Empress Regnant! I beg of you! I don’t want my children to be eaten!”</p><p>Wu Zetian listened to the cries of her people and froze in panic. The crowd began to notice the uncertainty in her eyes, and their attitude immediately changed from absolute faith in their queen to a festering doubt.</p><p>“Why does she look so nervous?”</p><p>“She <em>does</em> know what she’s doing, right?”</p><p>“Maybe she doesn’t have a clue? She wrestled the guardian deity out of the Dracul Faction’s hands, after all.”</p><p>“What an idiot! I knew right from the start that we shouldn’t trust her!”</p><p>“I guess we’re on our own, huh?”</p><p>“Come on, let’s ditch this hellhole and leave the monsters to the Servants!”</p><p>Wu stammered, “W-Wait, this isn’t what you think-”</p><p>Connla ran towards her and struck down a ghoul that would have killed Wu had she not interfered. She barked at the empress, “Get a hold of yourself! This is your time to stand firm as a ruler in the face of adversity!”</p><p>“But what do we do? We’ve never experienced such a bizarre incident before.”</p><p>“The other Servants and I will take care of the monsters. You focus on evacuating the citizens so we can use our Noble Phantasms without worrying about casualties.”</p><p>“Hmm… We are not prone to taking orders from another, but your suggestion is worth merit.”</p><p>“There’s no harm in listening to advice, is there? You don’t have to make every single decision by yourself, you know.”</p><p>Wu’s eyes widened with both surprise and delight. She smiled and exclaimed, “You speak with such sway, young Saber! If that is how it shall be, then leave the evacuation to us! Remain valiant in your defensive efforts, everyone! Many lives are depending on it!”</p><p>With that, she ran towards a crowd of terrified people and did her utmost to rally them. Although some folks found it difficult to trust her, everyone agreed that this was a genuine state of emergency. While the other Servants fought off any Fomorians that dared get too close to the evacuees, Wu guided as many people as she could out of Zhou and out into the sandy fields. She even summoned some of her Kuli to assist with the efforts, although their ghastly appearances didn’t help matters when it came to keeping everyone calm. Some people were so scared of leaving their homes that the Enforcers needed to resort to force to get them out of the ransacked city.</p><p>By now, Jack had returned from her break to join in the battle, but she was absolutely bewildered by what she was fighting. When she got a moment, she asked Connla, “What are these ugly monsters? I don’t think we’ve ever seen them when traveling with Mommy before.”</p><p>The Celt winced from an injury she received on her arm, then said, “I’m afraid I can’t explain. Just dismember them as quickly as possible, got it?”</p><p>“Oh, fine. It’s better I don’t know anyway.”</p><p>Jack leapt back into the battle and decapitated a row of ghouls in one stroke. She, Connla, Lucius, Li, and Elizabeth fortified Zhou’s entrance so that none of the monsters could escape, but the task was proving most difficult when they kept spawning from the muddied ground one by one.</p><p><em>This is bad,</em> Connla thought. <em>They are not powerful individually, but as a horde they are nearly unstoppable. It doesn’t seem like we’ll get any reinforcements either. What can we do to stop them for good?</em></p>
<hr/><p>“Come on, everyone! Just one last push and we’ll finally be in Zhou!” Parvati encouraged her tired troops. She raised her spear and waved it around like a makeshift flag, hoping to inspire her soldiers to press onward.</p><p>“Boy, we’ve sure come a long way, haven’t we?” Nursery Rhyme murmured. “Are you sure these men are up to fighting when they’re so tired?”</p><p>“Don’t worry. They might be complaining, but they are as resilient as diamond. Once the battle gets underway, their fatigue will disappear almost immediately, and Wu Zetian will face the justice she deserves for trying to assassinate me.”</p><p>“I hope Connla and Jack are doing okay…”</p><p>“Just be patient. We know that Jack is with Wu, so we’ll rescue her in no time flat. After that, I’ll dedicate a search party to go look for your other friend.”</p><p>After traveling another kilometer through the tunnels, a scout who had gone ahead hurried back to meet with Parvati, and he gasped in panic, “I’ve got urgent news, Your Ladyship! Just now, I saw Wu Zetian leading all of Zhou’s citizens out of the city!”</p><p>“All of them?” she blurted, and the other soldiers murmured amongst themselves.</p><p>“Yes, every last man, woman and child is evacuating as we speak!”</p><p>“What in the world is going on? This is hardly in Wu’s character.”</p><p>“I’m not sure, but I took a quick look in the city, and there appears to be a fierce battle underway.”</p><p>“Could it be an unexpected invasion from Roma?”</p><p>“I didn’t see any Roman soldiers anywhere, although I spotted the former Triumvirate member Lucius Tiberius.”</p><p>“Hm… This doesn’t sound good. Nursery, you come with me. The rest of you remain hidden until I send word!” Parvati ordered her troops.</p><p>The two Servants ran through the tunnel and emerged in Zhou territory. They hurried to see what the commotion was and to speak with Wu. Their search didn’t take long when the flustered empress noticed them and squeaked, “Wha-!? <em>Parvati!?</em> What are <em>you</em> doing here!?”</p><p>“I could ask you the same question,” the goddess firmly stated.</p><p>“Nnnngh, we simply don’t have the time for our usual political nonsense! If you came here only to get in our way, then get lost already! Our people are scared enough as it is! We don’t need you adding to the confusion!”</p><p>“What in the world are you talking about? Who is attacking Zhou?”</p><p>“An unknown enemy, that’s who! If those Servants fail at their job, we’ll be overrun by zombies before we know it!”</p><p>Nursery freaked out when she heard the word ‘zombie’, and she ran off towards the city while screaming, “JAAA~AAACK!”</p><p>“No, stay here!” Parvati implored, but was too late. She faced Wu and frantically declared, “Listen, I know this is sudden, but I have a company of soldiers waiting outside Zhou’s border! If you’d like, I’ll have them assist the other Servants in their battle!”</p><p>“Are you for real!? You have the nerve to tell us that you performed a war march here, only to turn around and offer assistance!? We will not be taken for a fool so easily! What is your game, Parvati!?” Wu retorted.</p><p>“I am not playing at anything! Regardless if this world’s human denizens are from different nations, I will not sit by quietly and watch them suffer! I will even throw myself into the fray if I must!”</p><p>“Is that so? Then you better start living up to those words immediately! We’ll give you permission to have you and your men assist in routing those fiends! We are remiss to admit that those five Servants will not be enough to assure victory! At best, they are simply buying us time!”</p><p>“Leave it to me!” Parvati exclaimed, then returned to her soldiers and updated them on the situation. Although many men were bewildered by this turn of events, they implicitly trusted their leader and emerged out of their hiding spot as a unified force. All of Zhou’s civilians stood aside and watched the troops march past in nervous silence.</p><p>Out in the lead, Parvati raised her spear, then commanded as loudly as she could, <em>“CHARGE!”</em></p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE #1:</p><p>† - The Chinese term for ‘hell’, or the realm of the dead.</p><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE #2: Boy, this was an incredibly hard chapter to get off my ass and write. This story’s getting a lot more chaotic than I realized with the sheer number of characters and having them contribute even a little bit to the plot. That’s something I’ll have to be careful of for Story #7 next year. The Jack/Connla vs. Yan Qing fight was fun though, since I used some Precure fights for references. Unfortunately the next chapter won’t be easy to write either, and the ServantFes Event is proving to be a serious grind, but I’ll push through it somehow. I absolutely want to get to the final battle and all the twists in store there. In the meantime, thanks for your continued patience and support, readers!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Souls of Nations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 20: Souls of Nations</strong>
</p><p>“RRRAAAAGH!” Ashwatthama let out his fiercest battle cry as he ran toward Beowulf. The Scandinavian warrior gleefully curled his hand into a tight fist and threw a punch at his incoming foe. The red-haired man used his chakram as an impromptu shield, then dodged another punch and slammed the huge weapon against Beowulf’s back, throwing him several meters away. He tumbled along the ground, then immediately launched himself back at Ashwatthama.</p><p>The Indian warrior planted his weapon on the ground and used his foot to propel it at Beowulf like a gigantic spinning wheel. Beowulf crossed his arms to block the chakram, but suddenly had to resist unexpected forces as Ashwatthama rushed in to kick the huge ring again. Beowulf struggled to save himself from being crushed, eventually managing to overcome the Archer’s assault by grabbing the chakram, whirling it around like a top while Ashwatthama was still holding on, and tossing it away like a large sack of sand. Everyone present to witness this battle heard a distinct thud in the distance as Ashwatthama and the chakram smashed into a wall.</p><p>“Serves you right, chump,” Beowulf snarled and cracked his knuckles.</p><p>A moment later though, the Indian hero emerged from the wreckage sporting a wide smile. Despite being covered in blood and bruises, as well as being angry beyond belief, he was clearly having a good time. His bloodshot eyes widened as he let out another scream and ran back to fight Beowulf again.</p><p>“Hey, hey, are you seriously supposed to be an Archer?” the Berserker uttered in disbelief.</p><p>Ashwatthama ignored his quip and used his chakram as a platform to hurl his leg at Beowulf’s chest. The kick threw him back-first against a wall, but he focused past the pain to keep himself on his feet as he landed. Ashwatthama raised his weapon and smashed it into the ground where Beowulf was, but the Grendel Slayer rolled aside in time and whipped his ankle against his opponent’s. The Indian lost his balance and tumbled onto his knee, allowing Beowulf to get on his hands, raise his leg, then chop it down upon the back of Ashwatthama’s neck.</p><p><em>“AAAAGH! YOU BASTARD!”</em> the red-haired hero raged.</p><p>Beowulf rolled backwards onto his feet, then brandished his swords Hrunting and Naegling while taunting, “Not exactly fair if only one of us is gonna fight with a weapon. How ‘bout I even the stakes a little and show you what a real monster slayer is capable of.”</p><p>“Bring it on! You’ll come to regret messing with a hero of the <em>Mahabharata</em>!”</p><p>Both men fiercely glared at each other. Murderous intent literally oozed out of every pore of their bodies, which made the onlookers so terrified that they started running away.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“KYAAA~AAA~AAAHHH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Before either of them could even twitch a muscle, they heard a woman’s unusually desperate scream. Soon, a young retainer who worked at the palace came rushing through the vicinity with absolute panic in her expression. The Servants knew that she couldn’t have been afraid of them, so something else had to be going on to make her run for her very life.</p><p><em>“Lord Ashwatthama! Please help me!”</em> she shrieked and collapsed onto her side.</p><p>“What the hell-?” he uttered, but soon saw a large shadow looming over the woman. A horrendously disfigured humanoid lumbered over to her and raised its blunt club, seeking to smash her to death. The other citizens cried out in hysteria and escaped, leaving the lady to meet her fate alone. The moment the club came plummeting upon her though, Ashwatthama got in between them and blocked it with his chakram.</p><p>“You okay!?” he called out to her.</p><p>“I-I-I’m fine!”</p><p>“What the hell <em>is</em> this thing!?” he wondered as he glared into the creature’s unevenly proportioned eyes.</p><p>“I don’t know! I… I was just cleaning Lady Parvati’s chamber… and then… and then that thing…”</p><p>“Ugh, never mind! Just hide yourself for now!”</p><p>Beowulf put down his swords and quickly ushered the girl into the tavern where she could take shelter. He returned outside and noticed that more monsters were heading their way. He took up his blades again and leapt over Ashwatthama to butcher the incoming beasts before they could harm any of the nearby civilians.</p><p>“Holy shit! Just many of these are there!?” he scowled while finding at least ten more monsters sauntering toward him.</p><p>Ashwatthama deflected his foe’s club, then pounded his chakram over its head. He bashed it so hard that skull fragments and brain matter came flying out of the ground. Satisfied with his latest kill, he joined Beowulf in the battle while exclaiming to the townsfolk, “Stay inside your homes! Don’t come out, no matter what happens!”</p><p>“Lord Ashwatthama!” a man yelped from a window two stories above them. He pointed to a particular direction and exclaimed, “I saw them! They’re flooding from over there!”</p><p>“Over there!?” the Archer paled in horror. “But that’s…!”</p><p>Beowulf asked, “What’s wrong?”</p><p>
  <em>“That’s where the palace is!”</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>“TYAH!”</p><p>“GWOOOOH!”</p><p>Heroine X and the black-armored Shadow Servant crossed blades numerous times in a frenzied dervish. X quickly ran along the wall and leapt off just before her opponent carved a long line through the gilded brickwork. She landed and glared at the knight, then murmured, “This cadence… You are quite familiar, yet I cannot put a name to this ominous sensation.”</p><p>At the same time, Medusa flipped backwards to avoid being skewered by a heavy lance being wielded by a girl in an armored dress. She got back-to-back with X and explained, “That is Sir Lancelot. Of the Albion Faction, he was the only one willing to be sacrificed for Uma’s sake. And the one I am fighting-”</p><p>The Rider turned her attention to her glaring foe.</p><p>“Is Sir Gareth. She fought for the Albion Faction to the bitter end, but I was the one who defeated her and condemned her to be an early sacrifice for Uma.”</p><p>“Lancelot and Gareth… Yes, those names seem to resonate within me for some reason,” X admitted. “Even so, no matter if they were once friend or enemy in some other world, I must strike them down here and now.”</p><p>“If it were just these two, such a battle would be a trifle. However, we have more company than we can possibly handle on our own.”</p><p>Medusa looked over at two more Shadow Servants who had emerged from the corrupting mud. One was a woman with long twin pigtails wielding a spear of her own, while the second was a knightly fellow with messy hair who brandished a sword.</p><p>“Who are those two?” X wondered.</p><p>“The woman is Bradamante, and the man is Roland. Both are members of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne.”</p><p>“They’re supposed to be French. What are they doing allying with former Albion Servants?”</p><p>“They were part of a French faction that had been overthrown by Albion well before Parvati founded Uma. It would seem that the guardian deities will corrupt any and all Servants regardless of their previous allegiances. In other words, we’re dealing with the leftovers of two fallen nations.”</p><p>“I see. So, got any good ideas?”</p><p>“You are asking the wrong person for strategical advice. My only concern is destroying those who would sully Uma’s honor,” Medusa said as she summoned her dagger and chains into her hands, then hunched down low into her combat stance at the same time Gareth raised her lance and prepared herself for combat.</p><p>“Arrrthuuu~uuurrr…” Lancelot growled, not once looking away from Heroine X. He seemed a little confused about this casually-dressed, futuristic version of his king Arthur, yet his anger would not subside regardless. A waft of dark smoke swirled around his hand and materialized into a black version of his sword Arondight.</p><p>“Hmph,” X scoffed and raised Secretcalibur. “Although madness has claimed you, you are still a Saber at heart. Since I have made it my life’s mission to exterminate any and all Sabers in this universe, you will not be exempt from my judgment! Have at you, Dark Knight!”</p><p>“BWAAAAHH!”</p><p>Both warriors rushed at each other and flailed their swords about, initiating another mad dance of blades and flying sparks. When he swiped high, she ducked low, tumble aside, then swung her sword at his unguarded midsection. She cut into his armor and caused blood to seep out. The Berserker obviously didn’t seem fazed as the indignation of fighting his king once more spurned him to whirl around and slice downward upon X’s head. She jumped back in time, but her long black scarf was torn into pieces during her retreat. She landed in a crouching position and snarled at him.</p><p>Meanwhile, Gareth made her own advance toward Medusa. Despite her clumsy-looking gait, her lance’s aim was true and most certainly deadly. Medusa kept calm and remained still, waiting for the moment to blindside her opponent. When the lance bore down upon her, she expertly flipped aside and extended her slender leg out to perform a roundhouse kick against the knight’s back. Gareth collapsed forward, but quickly got back up and jumped over Medusa. She spun her heavy spear like helicopter blades over her head, then smashed the weapon upon the Rider’s crossed daggers.</p><p>“Gh!” she grunted. The weight and force behind the attack threatened to break her arms, but she held fast and pushed Gareth off her. The moment the knight landed, she used the momentum to propel back forward, then slammed her armored knee against Medusa’s face. The violet-haired woman yelped in surprise as she was violently thrown onto her back. Gareth hopped up again and pierced her spear into the ground where Medusa’s head was, but she rolled aside in time.</p><p>As she swiftly recovered, Medusa glanced over at Bradamante and Roland, who were standing there and watching the entire time. Suddenly, their shadowy figures jumped high above the dual battles. Medusa snarled as she realized they were heading for the exit, and she cried out, “No, you don’t!”</p><p>She hurled her chains at the pair’s feet, hoping to ensnare them before they could escape. Roland noticed this and pushed Bradamante out of the way before slashing his sword Durandal at the chains. He cleaved through them with ease, leaving them to clatter on the stone floor as useless scraps of metal. Medusa and X watched in dismay as the French Servants vanished into the palace’s hallways.</p><p>“This is bad! If left alone, they will cause untold chaos upon the city!” X barked.</p><p>Medusa sighed, then admitted, “We have no choice but to leave them to Ashwatthama. Our job is to ensure these two do not get to step outside this altar.”</p><p>“Hm… If it is numbers you are worried about, then put those fears to rest.”</p><p>“Meaning?”</p><p>“To tell you the truth, I had Beowulf accompany me on this mission. He should be keeping Ashwatthama preoccupied as we speak.”</p><p>“Beowulf, as in the Grendel Slayer? I did not make you out as someone who allies herself with such uncouth fellows. Still, that would explain why that useless Archer has not come running to assist me this entire time.”</p><p>“That was the original plan, but now the tides of battle have turned in a most unusual direction. Though we are not allies in the strictest sense, let us stand strong and keep the people of Uma safe from these corrupted knights!”</p><p>“No choice then. I am not fond of protecting humans, but I also refuse to disappoint Parvati,” Medusa relented and stood tall, then raised her dagger before her as she stared at Gareth. Heroine X likewise returned her gaze to Lancelot, who was grabbing a block of fallen masonry and using his Knight of Owner ability to warp it into a pitch-black rock with jagged red lines running along it.</p>
<hr/><p>Back in Zhou, a tremendous bolt of lightning crackled throughout the city’s upper regions, followed by countless more streaks of raging hot electricity that wrecked havoc on the buildings and ground. Numerous Fomorians were blasted away from the sudden explosions of voltage raining down upon them, while some were crushed beneath toppling structures. The Servants inside the city were totally baffled as to what was going on. Connla and Jack looked around in astonishment, causing them to not notice an uninjured monster that was charging for them.</p><p><em>“GET BACK!”</em> a familiar young girl’s voice squeaked.</p><p>The pair instinctively tumbled out of the way, leaving the creature wide open to receive the full brunt of a peculiar Noble Phantasm. Toys, candy and glitter bombarded the Fomorian, battering it so relentlessly that it died and disappeared in a rush of acrid smoke.</p><p><em>“Jaaa~aaack! Connlaaa~aaa!”</em> they heard the girl shouting again.</p><p>Their eyes lit up with joy as they saw Nursery Rhyme running toward them as fast as she could. They too hurried in her direction, and they immediately hugged each other in absolute relief.</p><p>“Nursery! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Jack wept.</p><p>“Me too! I thought I’d never get to see you guys again!” the overjoyed Caster bawled.</p><p>Connla whimpered, “If only I was stronger, then we wouldn’t have been separated like that…”</p><p>She buried her face against Nursery’s shoulder and cried, “Uuh… I was so scared… I thought the factions would force us to fight each other.”</p><p>“What are you saying!? This isn’t your fault at all! After such a hard journey, I love happy endings like this! And we don’t have to fight each other now that we all have a common enemy to take down!”</p><p>“Oh, that’s right!” the Saber stopped crying and wiped her eyes. “We need to save this for later! Zhou’s being overrun by monsters!”</p><p>The trio looked back and saw the other three Servants butchering the Fomorians as best as they could, but the panic in their eyes was evidence that they were feeling rather overwhelmed. Even if the lightning strike cleared the area, it wasn’t enough to actually eliminate the creatures. Not only that, more reinforcements were being molded out of the ominous mud pouring out of where the statue stood.</p><p>“Where did that lightning come from anyway?” Jack wondered. “Did you do that, Nursery?”</p><p>“No way! It was Lady Parvati!”</p><p>“Parvati’s here!?” Connla yelped.</p><p>“It’s a long story, but she’s brought backup!”</p><p>As Nursery said this, the violet-haired goddess ran through Zhou’s entrance and leapt high over a Fomorian’s swinging axe. She pointed her spear at its eyes and thrust the double prongs through the sockets, violently rendering the monster blind. She then extracted her weapon, elegantly leapt off, then conjured more lightning to electrocute it to death.</p><p>“WAAAAH! Put me down, you disgusting oaf!” she heard Elizabeth screaming. She was being carried away by a giant-sized Fomorian, who seemed intent on throwing her into the corroding mud. No one was sure what effect it would have on her, and they certainly didn’t want to find out. Parvati rushed in and sliced through the creature’s leg, cutting it clean off and causing it to tumble onto its side. Elizabeth broke free of its grasp, then stabbed her spear through its neck multiple times to ensure it was dead.</p><p>“Ugh! Rotten son of a whore! I’m so filthy, not even a lifetime of showers will wash me clean of this stench!” the dragon girl complained.</p><p>“Are you all right?” Parvati asked.</p><p>“Could be better, but I can’t complain… Say, aren’t you Uma’s queen? What are <em>you</em> doing here?”</p><p>“Well…” the goddess looked back and watched her troops rush into the city to fight against the Fomorians. She shrugged and smiled, “There you go.”</p><p>Meanwhile, Lucius and Li Shuwen were engaged in heavy combat with the spawning creatures. Both men breathed heavily from the strain of fighting so many consecutive battles without rest. While they were both strong warriors in their own right, they only had so much magical energy to spare for combat when they also needed to sustain their own existences. The Fomorians knew this, which was why they kept swarming the Servants in the hope that their energy would be completely exhausted.</p><p>“Damn it. I’ve seen ugly situations before, but this is about as charming as getting a look at Zeus’ wrinkly old ass,” Lucius grumbled.</p><p>“So they intend to test our endurance, huh?” Li narrowed his eyes. “Perhaps victory is not a condition we can hope for. The best we can offer is the opportunity for our comrades to escape.”</p><p>“Don’t you go spitting that kind of tripe bullshit at me! The only conditions I will ever accept are victory or death!”</p><p>“Your bravado is an inspiration, but with no way of knowing what that victory condition is, your words ring hollow to me.”</p><p>“Tch. We defeated a statue before and didn’t have to deal with such an infestation afterward. What the hell makes this so different?”</p><p>As they pondered what to do next, that was when they heard the battering of numerous footsteps rushing at them from behind. They looked back and saw Uma’s army charging in to fight the monsters. They were confused as to why such backup had arrived, but they soon saw the general head their way and exclaim, “Are you both Servants defending this city?”</p><p>“This is much less about defending anything and more about wiping out the enemies before they can attack the other nations. As far as we are concerned, Zhou has been destroyed,” Li told him.</p><p>“I see. So it is safe to use as much lethal force as we desire on these abominations. Leave this to us and recover, good Servants.”</p><p>“Thank you, sir. I can’t speak for my stubborn ally, but one should understand when they need to rest their weary bones.”</p><p>Lucius scoffed, “Hmph. I probably have enough for one more use of Florent. However, I will not use it when you lot will just wind up being decimated by it. Best to leave such menial work to the serfs and retreat.”</p><p>With that, the Servants escaped from the battlefield and met up with Parvati and the others at Zhou’s entrance. They arrived in time for Connla to ask the goddess, “What are we going to do? Even if your forces are fresh on the battlefield, it will only be a matter of time before they are all killed.”</p><p>“I won’t let that happen. Perhaps due to my Divinity, I have always sensed a particular weakness that the stone idols have.”</p><p>“A weakness?”</p><p>Parvati closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. She then opened them and said, “Yes, I see it. Even in ruins, the guardian deity’s heart still beats within that mess of tainted mud.”</p><p>“The Fomorian idols have hearts?”</p><p>“Not in the literal sense. Think of it as the ‘core’ that the real culprit uses to control the statue. Get rid of the core, and the monsters should stop spawning.”</p><p>Connla paused, wondering why she never noticed such a thing with the effigy she destroyed back in Aspidochelone’s stomach. Then she realized, <em>It must be because I caused so much destruction with Lugh’s Halo that the core was probably eliminated without me knowing it.</em></p><p>“Well, now that we know what to do, just stand back and leave this to me,” Parvati said, then disappeared in a flash of lightning. Soon, the image of a cherry blossom tree came into view, and some petals fluttered off the branches before sparking into a trio of Parvatis. They all raised their two-pronged spears, and dark clouds formed over the spot where she sensed the core.</p><p>“Feel it… This is my wave of love that reaches the heavens! <strong><em>Trishula Shakti!</em></strong>”</p><p>Vibrant sparks of light clashed inside the cloud, rapidly intensifying in strength until they could no longer be held back. Upon shouting her Noble Phantasm’s name, Parvati commanded a massive lightning storm to decimate the ground, mud, and core all at once. A tremendous boom deafened everyone else’s ears, and they had to take cover. This was the true power and terror of the Hindu goddess of fertility and divine strength; like a caring mother, she could be both nurturing and strict with her children.</p><p>Once the cacophony returned to silence, two of the Parvatis disappeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms. The last one stood there and sighed, feeling a bit worn from using her strongest attack. Lucius raised his hand over his bangs and remarked, “Whew! Now <em>that</em> was some high-class destruction! No wonder you call the shots in Uma!”</p><p>“Why, thank you,” she chuckled, then frowned. “I’m afraid I might have went a little overboard though.”</p><p>They stared around at the huge black char mark left behind in the ground. He grinned and scoffed, “Bah! Be not concerned about razing enemy territory with extreme prejudice! So long as the main threat is dispelled, the ends will be justified!”</p><p>“Stop talking like that. As of this moment, there is no notion of ‘friend’ or ‘foe’ amongst us factions. Once this indiscriminate threat is dispelled will we have the luxury of labeling each other as such.”</p><p>“I suppose so.”</p><p>“Now that the monsters will not be produced infinitely, we can safely leave the rest to my men and recuperate outside. We must have a word with Wu Zetian as well.”</p><p>The Servants returned to Zhou’s outskirts where Wu and her people were resting. Many women and children were crying in panic, and the men were doing their best to calm their loved ones down. Wu likewise froze up – she had never seen such a devastating scene before, so she had no idea how to console her citizens.</p><p>“Lady Wu!” Connla exclaimed and ran up to her.</p><p>“It’s you again,” the dejected empress moaned. “Tell us what is happening in our city. Are the fiends gone?”</p><p>“For the most part, yes. Lady Parvati made sure that no more monsters will spawn, and her soldiers are eliminating the remainder.”</p><p>“Oh… To see our beloved home, which we worked so hard to build from the ground, be destroyed so utterly in only a few hours’ time…”</p><p>Connla became irritated as she snapped, “You need to straighten up. If your people see you like this, they too will fall into despair.”</p><p>“But our city is gone. How can we hope to recover from this? If Roma were to hear word of this, those verbally flatulent Triumvirate will stop at nothing to take advantage of us.”</p><p>“Listen to me. A nation is not defined by cities, villages, or land. It is preserved and maintained through its people across countless generations. Homes and buildings will crumble to dust eventually, and territories will be claimed by countries over and over again. However, beliefs and cultures are not so easy to eliminate. Even if the Zhou Faction has to move elsewhere, it will still live on as long as you’re willing to work hard for it.”</p><p>Wu became silent as she listened to Connla’s advice. Her eyes grew wistful, then she murmured, “Cu… Lily…”</p><p>Both girls uttered, “Huh?”</p><p>The empress shuddered and exclaimed, “W-W-We do not know why, but we felt compelled to address you as Cuchulainn Lily!”</p><p>“Is that so?” Connla muttered and tilted her head curiously.</p><p>“Pay it no mind! In any case, we shall keep those words to heart and figure out how to recuperate from this loss! So long as our people are willing to try again, then it is our job to keep our chin high and lead them to a better future! That is our prerogative as Empress Regnant!”</p><p>“Of course. I’m sure you can do it.”</p><p>“Indeed,” Wu’s confident smile returned. “For now, let us discern the best course of action from here.”</p><p>As they were talking, a man’s voice screamed in a strained voice, <em>“L-Lady Parvati!”</em></p><p>“Hm?” the goddess looked around until she discovered someone familiar rushing toward her from the cavern leading to Uma. She yelped in surprise, “Is that you, Ling!?”</p><p>The spy hurried to his liege and fell on one knee while uttering, “I-I have urgent news!”</p><p>“Ling?” Wu wondered as she recognized the Chinese fellow. “Wait just a moment! Are you not supposed to be one of <em>our</em> retainers!? Why do you address Parvati so formally!?”</p><p>“Well, that is…”</p><p>“Don’t tell us! Were you actually a double agent working for Uma!? Were all of our secrets leaked because of <em>you</em>!?”</p><p>“Ah… L-Lady Wu…”</p><p>Connla interjected, “Is this really the time for that!?”</p><p>The empress became irate as she yelped, “But-!”</p><p>“Look, I know you’re frustrated over this discovery, but we have bigger things to deal with! If you really want to pass judgment on him, shouldn’t you save it for when everyone is not in danger!?”</p><p>“Ungh… Very well. We shall save this discussion for another time, Ling. Make haste with your message to Parvati.”</p><p>“Of course,” the spy replied, then announced, “Lord Ashwatthama wanted me to relay something most unbelievable – our guardian deity has been smashed to pieces, and a horde of Shadow Servants and unknown monsters are flowing out of it!”</p><p>Parvati’s heart sunk in dismay. “Are you kidding me!? The same has happened to Uma’s guardian!?”</p><p>“What do you mean, Your Ladyship?”</p><p>“Zhou’s statue is in ruins, and all the Servants here had to put down the Shadow Servants and creatures that emerged. My intent was to allow these refugees into Uma, but if what you say is true, then…”</p><p>Wu clenched her teeth in anger and snarled, “Nnnngh! To think we have all been at the mercy of one who would discard everyone so callously! Even we possess enough mercy to show the enemy a modicum of restraint, even if it is only for interrogation purposes! ‘Tis almost as if our mastermind wants to wipe the slate clean by bleaching us out of existence!”</p><p>“I strongly believe so too,” Li Shuwen said, but didn’t seem as disturbed as the others. “Heh heh, this is getting exciting. Now that my next battlefield has been decided, I will make my advance to meet these Shadow Servants! If you would excuse me!”</p><p>The elated martial artist hurried down the tunnels by himself, leaving the others to sigh incredulously at his fervor for battle. Connla then said to Parvati, “I believe Sir Beowulf and Miss X should be there as well. If Lord Ashwatthama and Lady Medusa are still in Uma, then there should be enough Servants to hold the fort until our reinforcements arrive.”</p><p>“What do you mean Beowulf and Heroine X are in my city?” Parvati wondered.</p><p>Lucius smirked, then declared, “Hear me well, Queens of Uma and Zhou! I, Lucius Tiberius, am sovereign of the newly founded Lugh Faction!”</p><p>“Lugh Faction!? How in the world were there enough Servants to found a new nation!?” Wu snapped.</p><p>“The God of Light saw it fitting to send me his own granddaughter to serve as one of my representatives,” Lucius said as he placed a hand on Connla’s shoulder. “Additionally, I was fortunate enough to add those two Rogue Servants to my roster!”</p><p>Parvati asked, “What was your purpose in forming your own faction after Roma exiled you? Do you seek to take advantage of this chaos to further your own schemes as a new ruler?”</p><p>“Fwa hah hah hah! Unlike you, I am above such nonsense! As you no doubt know by now, this entire societal structure is a sham, perpetuated by one who finds pleasure and meaning in our endless warring and sacrificing! In response, I had Beowulf and Heroine X venture into Uma to destroy that stone idol, while Connla and I sought to do the same to Zhou’s.”</p><p>Wu squealed, “Preposterous!”</p><p>“I will have to second that,” Parvati added, then became forlorn. “Yet, I cannot help but believe you after seeing those ghastly fiends…”</p><p>“Of course you should!” Lucius barked. “According to Connla, those are Fomorians, the evil deities of Celtic lore. The reason there has never been a Celtic faction in this world is because our dear mastermind is a Celtic god himself. I’m not exactly certain of which one, but I strongly believe he is capable of generating bountiful harvests in exchange for human sacrifice.”</p><p>“I see. Now that you mention it, I always did sense a divine aura radiating from the statues. I often wondered where it came from, yet did not wish to question it out of fear of denying my people the food and resources they needed. But now he wishes to do away with all of us, and the precepts he has long since established are being so easily abandoned, as if he is sacrificing all of us at once.”</p><p>“What kind of sicko would do such a thing?” Jack growled. “Everything goes wrong, so he just throws it all in the garbage?”</p><p>Elizabeth raged, “’Everything goes wrong’, my ass! He’s the one who caused all of this in the first place! What the hell would make him do something so crazy when he never once caused any trouble in the past!?”</p><p>Nursery retorted, “Weren’t you listening to what Mr. Lucius was saying? The only thing a Celtic god would be afraid of is a Celtic Servant! He’s trying to get rid of the Servant along with all of us!”</p><p>“So you’re saying there’s a Celt among us that he’s scared of?”</p><p>Jack and Nursery angrily pointed their fingers at Connla, turning everyone’s attention to her. Both Elizabeth and Wu’s eyes practically fell out of their sockets as they boggled in astonishment at the bewildered little girl. The latter’s jaw practically hit the floor as she forced her face just inches in front of Connla’s and shouted, <em>“You’re a Celt!?”</em></p><p>“Uh… Yes, I am,” the Saber replied meekly.</p><p>“Unbelievable! A Celt, the nation seen only in myth, stands within our midst! How did we not notice this before!? If we knew you were a Celt back when we first met, why, think of the bounty that would have brought Zhou! Perhaps it would have been even greater than what Vlad’s death procured us! Ooooh, how foolish we were! Such a glaring oversight shall haunt us for the rest of our life!”</p><p>“Oh come on! You’re still saying stuff like that even after knowing the truth!?” Jack snapped.</p><p>“Why not!? When we regret something, we happily make it known to all involved!”</p><p><em>“Anyway!”</em> Parvati shouted over them. “There is clearly much we must discuss, but I cannot remain here while my country is under invasion from within! I must not delay in assisting Ashwatthama and Medusa with the city’s defense! If any of you are willing to offer your assistance, I shall gladly accept!”</p><p>Wu glanced around at her citizens, who were hobbled together trying to keep each other calm. She frowned and said, “Our people are still in a state of panic and confusion. We must assuage their fears and rally them to find a safe haven.”</p><p>“I understand. Sadly, bringing them to Uma does not appear to be an option. I likewise believe my own people will need a new place to stay until this crisis is resolved. Oh, what a dilemma…”</p><p>“Hah hah! Not to worry!” Lucius boldly laughed. “The Lugh Faction has already established the finest base one could ask for! We even took the liberty of destroying the guardian deity that already sunk its roots there. There are only two conditions that I impose upon you in exchange.”</p><p>“I should have guessed. What are they?”</p><p>“One, to merge your nations into mine.”</p><p>“Tch. We saw that one coming,” Wu snarled. “Nonetheless, we must swallow our pride and accept the loss. Zhou’s reign in this world has come to an end, so it is fitting that we should be absorbed into this so-called Lugh Faction of yours until we are able to recover from our losses. So, what is the other condition?”</p><p><em>“To</em> <em>absolutely, positively, never <strong>EVER</strong> touch anything you see in there!</em>”</p><p>“Hm? Why do you sound so emphatic all of a sudden?”</p><p>Parvati, Jack, Nursery and Elizabeth were as equally puzzled as Wu. Connla restrained a light chuckle. Nevertheless, Parvati said, “I can’t speak for Wu Zetian, but I will accept those terms, so long as your desire to abolish this system is true. If I find out that you are lying and sacrifice my people behind my back, there will be… <em>consequences</em>.”</p><p>Lucius grinned. “Hmph. I fear of no consequences if there is no reason for me to commit such pointless atrocities any further. My ambitions are loftier than playing jester to a demonic god.”</p><p>“Very well. Once I secure Uma’s safety, I shall bring my citizens to this base of yours.”</p><p>“Beowulf and X will know the way.”</p><p>Parvati nodded and headed back through the caverns to Uma. Wu then asked, “Who shall show us and our people the way to this mystery location? Furthermore, how should we divide the remaining Servants?”</p><p>“Well,” Connla murmured, “I would like to go with Lady Parvati and make sure everyone is safe there. Is that okay, Lord Lucius?”</p><p>He narrowed his eyes, then muttered, “I hesitate to send Lugh’s granddaughter into the heat of another intense battle alone. That would leave me as the only one to guide the remnants of Zhou to the vault. I am preferential to reversing those roles.”</p><p>“Jack and Nursery know where it is. Let’s send them with Lady Wu.”</p><p>The girls blinked and uttered simultaneously, “We do?”</p><p>“Remember the huge sandy room with all the treasure we found earlier? We’ve made it the Lugh Faction’s base now.”</p><p>“Wow, really? That’s pretty clever!” Nursery giggled. “Sure, we’ll show everyone the way! If any bad guys come out, we’ll beat them real good too!”</p><p>“Thanks. I know we just met up, so to have to split up like this again is…”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. Now that we know we’re all safe, we can focus on getting out of here and back to everyone in Okeanos.”</p><p>“You’re right.”</p><p>Meanwhile, Wu and Elizabeth’s eyes immediately lit up with anticipation when they heard the word ‘treasure’. The dragon girl’s moody attitude perked up as she exclaimed, “That settles it! Leave the rallying to me, Wu! Depression doesn’t exist as long as I’m around!”</p><p>“Indeed!” the empress likewise exclaimed merrily. “Your moving song and our charismatic words will make for the most eloquent combination! Let us hurry and get everyone moving posthaste!”</p><p>“Right behind you!”</p><p>The excited pair ran off to talk to the exhausted citizens and soldiers. Connla blinked and mumbled, “They sure cheered up all of a sudden.”</p><p>Like a vicious dog, Lucius growled, “Even in such a situation, greed always finds a way to rear its ugly head. I can only trust that Wu Zetian makes good with her part of the treaty. If I find even a smidgen of her fingerprints on my treasure, she will quickly come to regret it!”</p><p>“Oh, come now. Worry about that after we meet up with Sir Beowulf and Miss X.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Lights That Purge Darkness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>21: Lights That Purge Darkness</strong>
</p><p>“Hah!” Heroine X cried out. The moment Lancelot threw the rock he mutated with his powers, X rushed in and carved her sword through it, cleanly bifurcating it and leaving it to explode behind her. She then ran through the altar room as Lancelot grabbed more rubble and hurled them at her in rapid-fire motion. When she found an opening, she skidded low before hopping straight for the mad knight and pointing her blade at his chest.</p><p>Darkness swirled around Lancelot’s hand, and a sword of his own materialized in his grasp; Arondight, the holy sword constructed by the Lady of the Lake, now steeped with the same darkness as his armor. He snarled and used the weapon to viciously parry hers, knocking her arms so far up that she momentarily lost her balance.</p><p>
  <em>Not good!</em>
</p><p>Lancelot raised his sword, intent on cutting through her torso. X wouldn’t let him though – through a feat of tremendous agility, she leaned backwards and spun her leg around to deliver a roundhouse kick to his head.</p><p>“MRRRGH!” Lancelot snarled as he tumbled across the ground. He lost sight of her for just a second, so when he looked up again, he realized that she was gone. He still heard footsteps though, so he glared up and found the Assassin dashing along the walls. She dove down at him like a bullet, then slashed as hard as she could. He raised Arondight to block her, but his feet skidded along the floor so deeply that black marks were left behind.</p><p>X bounced off him. As he recovered, he felt a rush of wind pass by him. He quickly glanced back and saw that she was both in front and behind him at the same time. Did she split into two, or was she moving so quickly that it created the illusion of copies? He wasn’t sure, but his frustration exploded into rage as the two Heroine Xes slashed and pummeled at him. They finished by carving a golden X shape in the air between them, which cut through Lancelot’s armor and caused blood to fly out.</p><p><strong><em>“GRAAA~AAA~AAAHHH!”</em></strong> he screamed so loudly that the room seemed to shake.</p><p>The copy of X disappeared, while the original raised Secretcalibur like a baseball bat and shouted, “Saber, HOME RUN!”</p><p>The sword flared with golden light until it resembled a futuristic energy weapon, then she swung it in batting fashion to cleave through Lancelot’s breastplate. The Berserker went flying across the altar room until he smashed his back against the farthest wall. X wasn’t finished though – she wouldn’t allow him to take even a moment of rest. Her determination to eliminate any and all Sabers in the universe, even if they weren’t actually in the Saber class, was so fervent that her mind blanked everything else out. A second sword formed in her left hand, colored black and red to complement the white and blue one in her right.</p><p>“Gaze upon the fellowship of dark and light! Sword of Starlight, obliterate! Eliminate the witness to my secret! <strong><em>EX…</em></strong>”</p><p>Before Lancelot knew what was happening, Heroine X frantically slashed, carved, cut, and sliced through the incapacitated Shadow Servant. She finished her strongest attack by cleaving a perfect golden X shape through his entire body.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“CALIBUUU~UUURRR!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>He couldn’t even scream anymore. The knight was flayed beyond recognition, and he literally clattered onto the ground as pieces. Soon though, his remnants lost their form and melted into piles of Void Dust. X made the red-and-black sword vanish, sheathed the blue-and-white one, then took out a bowl of ramen noodles from Pocketspace in her jacket and happily slurped them with a pair of chopstick.</p><p>“Mmm… Nothing like piping hot noodles after a well-earned victory!”</p>
<hr/><p>Way over on the opposite side of the altar chamber, Medusa elegantly flipped and twirled in midair to leap over Gareth’s thrusting lance. The Rider hurled her chains and wrapped them around the exposed spear, then landed and attempted to pull the weapon out of her enemy’s hands. Gareth’s grip was much tighter than she expected, and Medusa struggled to overcome her. Suddenly, she stumbled backwards when the knight decided to change tactics. Instead of resisting, she allowed the chains to pull her toward the stunned woman.</p><p>“Ungh!” Medusa yelped as she curved her stomach inward to avoid being skewered. Her belly was sliced, though not deep enough for it to be fatal. She brandished one of her daggers and tried to stab the back of Gareth’s neck, but she got out of the way in time. She swung her heavy lance at Medusa’s back and slammed her away. With the grace of a cat, she planted her feet against the wall, then leapt off and raised her leg to deliver a roundhouse kick to Gareth’s side.</p><p>The knight tumbled along the ground, and her heavy armor clattered each time she struck the floor. She got up in a hunched position and fiercely glared at Medusa. An indescribable fury boiled in the silhouetted girl’s eyes. Medusa barely reacted though; she was used to humans looking at her like she was some kind of horrible villain. This time though, Gareth’s hatred was justified since Medusa was the one who originally killed her.</p><p>“Good grief,” the Rider bitterly muttered. “The dead really should be graceful enough to remain that way. Having to kill the same person again is such a hassle.”</p><p>Her taunt riled Gareth, prompting her to charge full speed at the blasé woman. Medusa likewise ran toward her, then thrust her leg forth in a sweeping kick to deflect the oncoming spear. She got down on her hands and launched both feet forward at Gareth’s face, then did two more roundhouse kicks before jumping over the knight and diving straight down, smashing her face-first into the ground. To her astonishment though, Gareth snatched her ankle and violently slammed her about like a pillow being used in a pillow fight. Each blow seemed to get stronger and stronger each time, and Medusa could feel bones breaking with each strike.</p><p>Once she was satisfied with bashing her opponent senseless, Gareth hurled Medusa at the wall so powerfully that she crashed right into the adjacent room. The Rider gasped for air while trying to see through the smoke. Luckily, she heard Gareth’s armor clattering as she made her advance. This gave her enough time to skid out of the way before the heavy lance pierced the ground where she previously was.</p><p>Medusa had had enough. In truth, she was just fooling around with Gareth this whole time. The knight had been much too easy for her to kill the first time, so she wanted to savor this rematch as much as she could. Now she realized that after Gareth became a Shadow Servant, her speed and power had been exponentially increased. Medusa wasn’t sure how or why, but she certainly didn’t want someone as dangerous as this to break loose and slaughter Parvati’s citizens.</p><p>As Medusa flipped back onto her feet, a peculiar blood-red aura fizzled into existence around her hands. They formed into long, thin lines, then materialized as more chains. These ones had an additional weapon attached to the ends though; sharp, gleaming sickles that had drawn more than enough blood in their time. She firmly snatched the chains in both hands, then rushed past the surprised Gareth and whispered something in her ear:</p><p>“That’s as far as you go.”</p><p>Medusa slashed the sickles in a dual arc. They carved through Gareth’s torso, chopping her into three distinct pieces. Her arms hit the ground first, followed by the rest of her body as black blood poured out of her wounds. There was no way she could recover like this, and Medusa certainly wasn’t going to let her try. With nary a sound nor sign of emotion, she whipped her blade along Gareth’s carotid artery, killing her instantly. It didn’t take long for the Shadow Servant to be reduced to Void Dust like the rest of them.</p>
<hr/><p>The city’s main road leading to the palace had now become a hellish battle zone that no ordinary person dared venture into. The streets were deserted of all life, save for four Servants who were duking it out two-on-two. The Shadow Servants who emerged from the castle barged through the Fomorian monsters, treating them as nothing more that obstacles in their pursuit of the Servants who had been previously fighting each other until now. The fiends were unintentionally cleared out of the way, with Roland decapitating a whole row of beasts with one stroke of his sword, while Bradamante’s violet glowing shield flared and rained destructive energy upon a crowd.</p><p>“Shit! Shadow Servants at a time like this!?” Beowulf snarled.</p><p>Ashwatthama became irritated as he murmured, “The French Servants, huh? Hey, Grendel Slayer! You better keep on your toes if you want to keep your head attached to your neck! They might be reduced to mere shadows, but they’re still two of Charlemagne’s Twelve Paladins!”</p><p>“You don’t say. It’s been a while since I’ve seen anyone from the Francia Faction.” †</p><p>Roland landed several feet before Beowulf and turned his crimson eyes toward the Scandinavian hero. He grinned and muttered, “Well, well. Looks like my next opponent has been decided for me. Hey, Big Red! Think you can deal with the other one for me!?”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” the disgruntled Archer retorted and faced Bradamante.</p><p>Beowulf returned his glare to Roland, then brandished his dual blades Hrunting and Naegling. After taking a deep breath, he snapped, “Okay then… <em>Time to get violent!</em>”</p><p>Both warriors charged at each other and flailed their blades about in a mind-numbing dance of violence. Neither of them really utilized a specific style of combat; they just let their bodies move freely in an incredible display of swordsmanship that no one in Uma had ever seen before. The chaos lasted for a solid five minutes, yet neither fighter showed any sign of yielding to the other. Soon, Durandal loudly clanged as it smashed against Hrunting, and Roland’s foot twisted abnormally that caused him to stagger for a second. The crazed look in Beowulf’s eyes literally screamed, “I’ve got you,” as he swung Naegling at the Paladin’s shoulder.</p><p>Roland leapt over the swing and pounded his feet against Beowulf’s collarbone, making him tumble back. He clumsily twirled, but managed to regain his balance before slashing at Roland’s head. He saw the blade coming, as if in slow motion, and he inched his cranium just beneath. Minute wisps of hair were cut off his bangs. Roland knew he needed to make some distance, so he flipped away and scurried up the nearest wall. Durandal glinted brightly, and Beowulf was certain that he intended to use some kind of Noble Phantasm.</p><p>“Hah! Not a chance!” he laughed and pursued parkour-style by using window ledges, balconies and clotheslines to reach his enemy’s level. Beowulf figured that by keeping the fight as high off the ground as possible, he could minimize the risk of collateral damage and needless casualties.</p><p>When he landed on the highest line though, he gasped as his footing was suddenly lost. Roland had cut the rope the moment Beowulf landed, which was what he had actually been hoping for. At the same time, several of the more nimble Fomorian monsters hopped their way up to try and kill Beowulf while he was distracted. He wouldn’t let them have their way - he carved Naegling through one fiend’s torso and jammed Hrunting in another’s head shortly before they all crashed back to the ground. The flying dust suddenly parted when one of the bodies was viciously thrown at Roland. He bifurcated it with ease.</p><p>To Roland’s surprise however, Beowulf emerged from behind the flying corpse and circled around him. He had used it as a momentary hiding spot to blindside the Paladin. Roland raised Durandal in time to block an incoming swipe from Hrunting that would have decapitated him otherwise. The force that their clash generated couldn’t be so easily resisted however, and Roland was sent smashing clean through the brick road. Chalky smoke billowed around Beowulf as he descended upon the crash site.</p><p>Just then, a strange wind rushed past his face. Blood burst out of a flesh wound. If he hadn’t jerked his head aside, Durandal would have cut through his cranium. As Roland leapt out of the smoke to meet his foe in midair once again, he used this opportunity to pierce his sword through Beowulf’s arm, coming dangerously close to amputating him. The Berserker snarled, realizing that the nerves in that arm were disabled, and he was forced to drop Naegling. He swung Hrunting in an arc and smashed Roland off of him, freeing his bloody arm from the blade.</p><p>The two men skidded their feet along the walls, then leapt higher into the air to continue their match. He landed on a terrace and whirled around to parry Roland’s next strike, then leaned back and smashed his bare foot directly into the Paladin’s face. Roland sailed backwards, and Beowulf jumped down after him. Although his injured arm hurt like hell, he persisted through the pain and tightly snatched Roland’s throat. It was difficult for the knight to counter when his windpipe was being squeezed like mere fruit.</p><p>Then, Beowulf’s eyes flared with glee, and his smiled darkly. Roland noticed that the glint in his opponent’s eye wasn’t some indication of his burning soul or whatever – a source of light really had reflected off of it. He looked back, then saw it…</p><p>Naegling had punctured the ground in an upright position. Both Servants were falling directly on top of it. Roland realized what was going to happen to him. He turned his wide, bloodshot eyes at the smugly grinning Beowulf, who only said one last thing to him:</p><p>“Give my regards to Charlemagne, will ya?”</p><p>The two warriors smashed directly upon Naegling. Smoke and dust exploded around them. Moments later, a lone figure leapt out of the blinding storm. It was Beowulf – he managed to avoid being skewered by his own blade, though only by mere millimeters. The same couldn’t be said for Roland. His arms and legs were splayed on the ground, and Naegling was pierced clean through his heart and vital organs. He remained motionless as his form melted into a harmless pile of black ashes. Beowulf snatched the sword’s hilt, pulled it out of the ground, then proudly shouldered it.</p><p>“Phew. That was a good match.”</p>
<hr/><p>During Beowulf and Roland’s fight, Ashwatthama stood in his combat pose to face off against Bradamante. Known as the Knight of the White Plume, she was a lovely heroine who endured a great number of trials and never once faltered. Even if she had to fight King Rodomonte of Algiers, escape from the witch Alcina, or turning down a Greek prince’s hand in marriage, her courage remained steadfast as she pursued her true love Ruggiero. That made it all the more difficult for Ashwatthama to look at Bradamante as a pure black Shadow Servant, with her radiant shield steeped in the darkness it once used to absorb before Merlin purified it. Whatever had corrupted her, he knew it had to be powerful enough to undo the famous magician’s work.</p><p>“Bradamante…” he frowned. “To think that a shining bright Paladin like yourself would be blackened this badly… But I won’t hold back, even for you. I won’t apologize for what’s about to happen to you. Just know that, speaking as a fellow hero, I at least want to put you out of your misery.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>
  <em>“Now do your worst! I, Ashwatthama, son of Dronacharya, will be your opponent!”</em>
</p><p>With that declaration, he gripped his chakram tightly and charged at Bradamante, who likewise rushed toward him with both spear and shield in hand. He whirled on his heel and swung his weapon in a full circle, so she raised her shield to block it before stabbing her spear at his chest. He somehow managed to step aside, and he grabbed her arm so he could throw her away. She tumbled in midair and landed gracefully back on her feet, then dashed back and readied her right leg to perform a kick that could stab through flesh. He likewise built up power in his leg and countered with an identical-looking kick. Their thrusting feet impacted against each other no differently than hands clapping together, and a booming shockwave blasted in a radius all around them.</p><p>Ashwatthama leapt back, totally surprised by how much power Bradamante possessed despite her petite stature, especially when compared to his toned bulk. He became enraged, and fire seared around his wrists as he charged in to swing his chakram around like a battering ram. The smug look in her eyes suggested she was silently taunting him. She leapt over the attack, used his head as a platform to jump higher, then contorted her body so she could dive back down while pointing her spear at his back.</p><p>“GAH!” the Indian hero yelped. He barely managed to twist his body aside, but the explosion of darkness and wind that followed sent him tumbling along the ground for about 100 meters. As he rolled about, he realized that Bradamante was chasing after him. She pointed her spear at his face, so he had to continue rolling to avoid being skewered multiple times. When he found a chance, he got on his hands and whipped his foot at her face, knocking the surprised Paladin off her feet and upside-down in midair. She managed to recover and flip upright before landing, which allowed him to get back up as well.</p><p>Ashwatthama clenched his teeth and thought, <em>Tch! She might be a hottie, but she ain’t taking any prisoners!</em></p><p>Bradamante’s shield was consumed by an all-encompassing darkness that practically blackened the area around both fighters. The spiky shield then spun like a compass dial as she barged at him. The sharpened points brutally dug through his skin, forcing him to reel in agony as she jumped back and energized her spear with the same dark forces. She then launched the destructive blackness at the stunned man, completely engulfing him in a wave of darkness that would have obliterated an ordinary man.</p><p>Bradamante landed and observed her handiwork. When the darkness cleared, the immediate area around Ashwatthama was charred and destroyed. However, she almost failed to notice that a figure garbed in black armor stood there in a hunched pose. He remained perfectly still for a moment. Then, flames tickled around his wrists and chakram. Even the top of his head flared with a perpetual fire. Small amounts of blood trickled through the gaps in his armor, making him look all the more horrifying.</p><p>“You’ve done it now, sister,” Ashwatthama growled darkly. She couldn’t see his face beneath the helmet, but he now sported a wide, mirthful grin. The fire blazing on his head intensified, and his eyes likewise glowed bright gold as he seethed, <em>“You’ve gone and made me <strong>MAD</strong>.”</em></p>
<hr/><p>Meanwhile, Parvati ran through the tunnels leading back to Uma. Her breath sounded frantic, and her heart raced in panic as she couldn’t stop thinking about Ashwatthama, Medusa, and all of her citizens. She dared not think of the possibility that she would be returning to witness the aftermath of a senseless massacre. As much as she tried to push those thoughts out of her mind, they kept coming back and haunting her.</p><p>
  <em>Medusa… Ashwatthama… Please hang in there…</em>
</p><p>The dread building up inside her was so immense that she needed to stop and take a moment to breathe deeply. Since she was a leader, she needed to keep her composure and see what she could do to help her people. The trouble was, what if her Servants were killed during the siege? Could she really take care of a whole country by herself? She had come this far precisely because she had help from such famous and powerful Servants.</p><p>
  <em>What do I do?</em>
</p><p>“Lady Parvati!” she heard a child’s voice call out, which thankfully disrupted her bleak thoughts. She stopped and found both Connla and Lucius running toward her.</p><p>“It’s you two,” she said. “Are you both coming with me?”</p><p>Connla exclaimed, “Of course! I want to make sure Sir Beowulf and Miss X are okay!”</p><p>Lucius replied, “Although my concern for those Servants is not as prevalent, it would be foolish of me to miss this opportunity to make the people of Uma be in my debt.”</p><p>Parvati nodded. Her anxiety seemed to settle once she knew she would have backup in case the worst case scenario happened. She replied, “Wonderful. I will take all the help I can get. Let us get going then.”</p><p>The trio continued along the winding tunnels through Aspidochelone’s innards. As they ventured forth though, the goddess couldn’t help but wonder, “By the way, Connla, there is something I wanted to ask of you.”</p><p>“Hm? What is it?”</p><p>“You seem to possess a degree of Divinity, yet you are not of divine nature yourself. In fact, I noticed it the first time you and I met when you were with your friends. I had hoped to ask you about it then, but we unfortunately never got the chance.”</p><p>“Me? With Divinity? That can’t be right. I may be the Child of Cuchulainn, but I didn’t inherit any of his powers as a demigod,” Connla said, but then became wistful as she murmured, “Although…”</p><p>“Although?”</p><p>“Something strange has been happening to me while stuck inside this closed-off world. My Master originally summoned me as a Lancer, but for some reason my Spirit Origin was changed to make me a Saber. Apparently it happened right as Jack, Nursery and I were swallowed by Aspidochelone, but I don’t remember any of it.”</p><p>“I see. So your class change and boost in Divinity must have been brought on by an outside influence. Do you have any idea who could be responsible?”</p><p>“I can’t be sure, but I might have some idea…”</p><p>Connla told Parvati about the many strange things and abilities she demonstrated throughout this adventure. The goddess took particular note of how she could summon Lugh’s Halo, and she chuckled lightly.</p><p>“What is it?” Connla asked.</p><p>“My, my. You act so baffled, but I think you already know the answer, don’t you?”</p><p>“…”</p><p>Lucius raised an eyebrow in surprise and muttered, “Are you suggesting that it is Lugh himself who influenced his granddaughter’s Spirit Origin?”</p><p>“That should be obvious enough by now,” Parvati smiled. “I don’t know the specifics, but I can understand how he would want to bless her with his power to protect her from Aspidochelone. He may have been unforgiving to his enemies, but there’s no doubt that he loved his family with all his heart. Even the grandchild he never got to meet is not exempt from this.”</p><p>“Hm… All right, I’ll accept that explanation. But then the question becomes, why now? Is there some reason that Lugh needed Connla to take his powers? Why couldn’t he come here and deal with this himself?”</p><p>The goddess became serious. “You said that our common enemy is a Celtic god, no? However, the trouble is that faith in the Celtic gods has greatly waned ever since the era of the Holy Man from Christian faith, where pagan beliefs were swept away in favor of worshipping a common god. Most records that remain in this day and age are of folklore and historic documents, which means that it would be most difficult for Celtic gods to be summoned as Servants. Looking at me as an example though, there <em>is</em> a way around this.”</p><p>Connla became surprised as she murmured, “Pseudo-Servants.”</p><p>“Exactly. In essence, Lugh has made you his Pseudo-Servant. Your personality is still the dominant one, but the powers you are using actually belong to him. That is why your class changed from Lancer to Saber – it was to better accommodate Lugh and his wide array of abilities.”</p><p>“Is that so…?”</p><p>Lucius then exclaimed, “Now hold on a second! You say that Celtic gods are not as powerful now as they were back then, but how was Lugh strong enough to change Connla’s Spirit Origin!? That should be normally impossible, right!?”</p><p>The child Servant closed her eyes, contemplating on the Roman emperor’s question. An idea soon crossed her mind, and she opened her eyes before blurting out, “Lughnasadh.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“It’s the Lughnasadh <em>sabbat</em> right now. That’s what Lugh’s Halo represents – the eight solar solstice events celebrated by modern Pagans. The sixth one is Lughnasadh, which takes place on August 1, and we’re only hours away from it being that date. That must be when Grandfather’s influence is at its peak, similarly to how the god Samhain receives a boost in faith during the Halloween period. Thus, you could say that Grandfather is a god who represents summer, and is still celebrated for the harvest he brings.”</p><p>“So we were most fortuitous that the time of the year is what it is right now.”</p><p>“Exactly. To sum it up, when Grandfather’s power reached its apex, he transferred it to me and made me a Pseudo-Servant. Since it’s established that there is a Celtic god causing all sorts of trouble, he must have wanted me to confront them on his behalf, and had Aspidochelone swallow me on purpose so I could meet this god lurking inside.”</p><p>Lucius’ lips suddenly curled into a smile, and he heartily laughed, “<em>Fwa hah hah hah!</em> Oh, this is just rich! To think that the god I was named after was in my service all along! What a joyous moment this has been! Even if I should fail to achieve my lifetime goals, I can die with satisfaction knowing that I had my namesake god in my entourage!”</p><p>Connla grew skeptical as she muttered, “I don’t know about that… I don’t feel particularly different than usual, and I still don’t have a full grasp of my new abilities. In fact, I’m kind of worried that I’m not strong enough to face the enemy god on equal terms.”</p><p>Parvati said, “I see what you mean. Our opponent probably had to utilize a Pseudo-Servant of their own, but they’ve had significantly more time to adjust to their new body. You, on the other hand, were just recently transformed and are thus a novice in comparison.”</p><p>“Yes, I’m afraid so. I wonder if I’ll be able to live up to Grandfather’s expectations like this…”</p><p>“Fear not!” Lucius exclaimed. “With me and my rapidly expanding Lugh Faction, the enemy will soon be forced to admit defeat! None of us wish to continue partaking in this farce that this god has sustained for untold ages. The combined frustration of so many people and Servants will bring this charade to a swift end! Rest assured that you are not fighting this war alone! If anything, you are actually the banner bringing these nations together to rise up against a common evil!”</p><p>“Lord Lucius…” Connla widened her eyes, not expecting the self-centered Roman to say such encouraging words.</p><p>He blushed profusely, then scratched his chin and muttered, “Well, it will all work out anyway. So long as you continue being my retainer, nothing shall go amiss.”</p><p>“All right. Let’s just keep going as we are. We’re almost to Uma anyway, so we should be ready for combat.”</p><p>As the three Servants brandished their weapons and exited the tunnel leading to the besieged city, Connla took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was to come.</p><p>
  <em>Grandfather… I can’t do this by myself… So please keep watching over me to the end.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“HEEE~EEEYAAA~AAA~AAAH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Ashwatthama unleashed his mightiest battle roar before barging towards Bradamante. He hurled the chakram at her, but she increased the size of her shield and blocked it. While she was distracted though, he got right in front of her and smashed his foot against her abdomen. A distinct <em>pow</em> sound resounded around them, and she lost the air in her lungs for a second. Despite this, she remained resolute and grabbed his arm, then twisted it in an unnatural position to break the limb. He howled in pain and shoved her off with a mighty tackle.</p><p><em>“Fine then! If that’s what you want, then I’ll kill you in one shot!”</em> he shouted, then dropped the chakram on the ground and allowed it to spin in place. The intense friction caused flames to surround the scalding-hot weapon. Since he couldn’t use his hands to wield it in this state, he instead pressed his foot against it while raging, <em>“As a warrior who brings death, I’ll destroy you with my indestructible blade!”</em></p><p>Ashwatthama shoved the fiery wheel at Bradamante, and it slammed into her while still violently rotating, overwhelming her with untold amounts of heat and fire. He leapt over the chakram and readied his fist, then shouted, <strong><em>“Sudarshan Chakra Yamaraj!”</em></strong></p><p>He punched the weapon with brute force. All of the heat and chaos that built up inside the chakram instantly exploded into a blazing wave of merciless destruction around the two Servants. It took well over a minute for the conflagration to settle, but he didn’t seem particularly fazed to be standing in the epicenter of such searing-hot carnage. Sizzling embers danced around him as he glared at where Bradamante laid on the ground.</p><p>Smoke curled off of the young woman’s body. She struggled to get back on her feet, but he could tell that she was seriously winded from enduring a Noble Phantasm. A dark and ominous aura surrounded her, and her glowing red eyes flared with fury as she stood in a bold stance with her arms crossed. The darkness swirled around her like a tornado, then she thrust it at a very surprised Ashwatthama.</p><p>“GUH!?” he gasped. Not only was his body being brutally shredded, but an indescribable fear also overcame his senses. Was it his own fear, or was it some kind of twisted byproduct of the darkness assailing him? Bradamante’s shield increased in size, and she raised it in front so it could function as a high-speed battering ram. She then charged at her stunned foe, hoping to obliterate him with the raw power of evil and darkness.</p><p>But then, she inexplicably glanced over to her side, and her eyes widened in uncharacteristic horror.</p><p>A second afterwards, some kind of blazing projectile rocketed through her forehead and decapitated her with sheer force alone. The rest of her body went flying sideways before it too was consumed in an explosion of fire and debris. The darkness that engulfed Ashwatthama quickly subsided. He barked in both delight and shock, <em>“Holy shit, that was gnarly!”</em></p><p>He saw movement from his side and glared over to see if he was being attacked again. However, he found Connla standing there with a fired slingshot in one of her hands. She had energized a Runestone with an Ansuz Rune, strengthening it as much as she could before launching it at Bradamante as an incendiary shot, which was no different in power than a torpedo head in modern terms.</p><p>“It’s you!” he exclaimed, recognizing the child Servant from earlier. He dematerialized his helmet so she could see his face.</p><p>“Are you all right?” she asked.</p><p>“Huh? Uh, yeah, I’m fine…”</p><p>“That was a little too close for comfort though. If you had moved the wrong way, I could have killed you as well. Maybe I should save those sorts of stunts for if I’m ever changed to an Archer.”</p><p>“Hey, don’t sound so casual about such a thing!”</p><p>“I’m sorry. I just thought it’d be cool to try emulating Grandfather when he shot through Balor’s eye and decimated the army behind him.”</p><p>“Ugh… You’ve got a dark imagination, you know that, kid?”</p><p>“I said I was sorry! What else do you want me to say!?”</p><p>“Tch. Fine, forget about it. How’s Beowulf holding up against Roland?”</p>
<hr/><p>Although the Paladin was indeed dead at this point, Beowulf still had to contend with Fomorians flooding out of the palace. He was already quite exhausted from fighting the Shadow Servant, yet he didn’t want to retreat and allow these beasts to go after the defenseless citizenry.</p><p>“Shit,” he grumbled to himself. “What the hell have I gotten myself into?”</p><p>“MRAAAGH!” a hulking brute shouted and lumbered toward the Berserker. Several of its smaller companions swarmed around him so he wouldn’t be able to escape. Just then, a familiar white light rushed through the air and disintegrated the larger monster, followed by a shower of flower petals that confused the smaller ones. While they were distracted, Beowulf cut them all down with one wide stroke of his sword. He then glared over at where the destructive beam came from and found a certain red-haired Roman arrogantly standing there, along with a purple-haired maiden in blue clothes wielding a two-pronged spear.</p><p>“Looks like I was a little late for the party,” Lucius smirked.</p><p>“Damn straight you were!” Beowulf snapped. “Do you have any idea what the hell’s happening right now?”</p><p>“I can hazard a guess. After all, this is identical to the crisis we had to resolve in Zhou.”</p><p>“Identical? You mean…?”</p><p>“Indeed,” Parvati replied with a grim frown. “That faction is no more. I fear it will not be long before I will have to say the same for Uma.”</p><p>Beowulf’s eyes widened as he gasped, “Holy shit… Just like that, everything’s gone down the crapper…”</p><p>“Yes. Our objective is not to save the city. It is to evacuate the citizens and get them to the Lugh Faction’s safe haven. Wu Zetian and her people are already on their way there as we speak.”</p><p>“Fine by me. Heroine X and Medusa are inside the palace, but I don’t think we’ll be able to retrieve them like this. We’ll have to give up on them and focus on the townsfolk.”</p><p>“If only I could get inside somehow and eliminate the core, this would be so much easier…”</p><p>As they spoke, more and more Fomorians kept sauntering toward them like an endless plague. Just then, a fiery explosion swept some of them clean off the road and hurled their carcasses either through buildings or into alleyways. While the area was secure for those brief seconds, the trio found Ashwatthama and Connla running toward them. The former slammed his chakram onto a fiend’s head, then growled, “Son of a bitch! No matter how many of these damn things we cut down, they just keep getting replaced!”</p><p>“The stone statue is inside the palace, but if it’s being guarded like this, we’ll never be able to get in there and be rid of the core!” Parvati shouted.</p><p>Lucius sliced an oncoming monster to death and snarled, “That’s just great! Things keep getting worse and worse by the second! Forget evacuating anyone – it’d be enough just for <em>us</em> to stay alive!”</p><p>“I’m not giving up! If I can break through, destroy the core, and rescue Lady Medusa and Miss X, things might turn around for us!” Connla exclaimed, then tried to run toward the castle.</p><p>Beowulf grabbed her arm and screamed, “Are you out of your mind, kid!? You can’t possibly fight such a horde on your own!”</p><p>“I have to do <em>something</em> though! If I use Lugh’s Halo over and over again to clear a path through, then-!”</p><p>“You’ll exhaust yourself to death if you do that! You’re coming with me, no ifs, ands or buts!”</p><p>“But…”</p><p>As the Servants despaired over what to do next, that was when a most unexpected thing happened. The lake surrounding Uma seemed to oddly undulate until a dome-shaped ‘thing’ burst out of the water. What they saw was… quite difficult to put into mere words. To put it simply, it was a majestic theater, complete with columns upon columns of golden pipe organs surrounding a silver dome structure. There in the center was a stone effigy depicting a Valkyrie-like woman with wings brandishing a broadsword, who wore bikini armor that covered very little of her body.</p><p>“Fu fu fu! What is this!? A beauty of Rome!? Of course, it is I!”</p><p>The floor opened up, and a platform rose to reveal a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair that had some braids wrapped around the back of her head – obviously she was the same woman whom the stone statue was depicting. She wore a see-through white shirt and a red-and-white striped criss-cross halterneck swimsuit that showed as much skin as legally possible. Her vibrant green eyes shone with excitement as she gallantly introduced herself:</p><p>
  <em>“The one and only flower of the stage; <strong>Nero Claudius!</strong>”</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE:</p><p>† - Latin for “realm of the Franks”, the name of France during Charlemagne’s time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. The Missing Perspective</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>22: The Missing Perspective</strong>
</p><p>Everyone present in Uma gaped in total disbelief at the grandiose stage that suddenly burst out from beneath the lake. No one was sure which was more unbelievable; the blatant grandeur of the Noble Phantasm, or the presence of an enemy faction leader arriving to provide assistance.</p><p>Despite this ridiculous development, Lucius smacked his forehead and visibly cringed. “Ugh… Of all the times, why did <em>she</em> have to show up?”</p><p>“Um, what’s going on here?” Connla wondered, looking totally clueless about this new development.</p><p>“Your guess is as good as mine, lass.”</p><p>Nero Claudius nodded in delight and beamed, “Yes, indeed! Feast your eyes upon me to your hearts’ content, good citizens of Uma! I have decided to be magnanimous enough to deliver my performance to your very doorstep, in the name of unity and goodwill!”</p><p>Her viridian eyes suddenly turned sharp as she snapped at the Fomorians, “As for you filthy vermin, I will not permit the likes of your unholy kind to even <em>think</em> about participating in the festivities! Your brethren have already made a right royal mess of my Roma, so it is high time I paid such mischief back with interest!”</p><p>Lucius visibly blinked when he heard this, and he murmured under his breath, “Roma was attacked too…?”</p><p>Nero raised her arm and declared, “Behold! This is the Golden Theatre of the Sea! On my command, scatter with the flower petals, netherworldly abominations! <strong><em>Laudarentum Domus Illustrias!</em></strong>”</p><p>The apex of the theater shone bright like a star, then dozens of pink lasers shot forth and snaked their way through the air past the Servants and toward the oncoming horde of monsters. Each shot barreled into the ground around them and detonated simultaneously, leaving behind a fantastic display of rose-colored lights. Thanks to the attack, most of the monsters were either vaporized, dead, or scrambling to retreat.</p><p>Connla covered her mouth and gasped, “Whoa! Amazing!”</p><p>Nero turned her attention to the Servants and cried out, “Go to the palace posthaste! I shall keep these monstrosities at bay!”</p><p>“Thank you, Nero! We of Uma are indebted to you!” Parvati exclaimed.</p><p>“Umu! Just the words I needed to hear!”</p><p>That seemed to stir some sort of ire in Lucius, and he took the lead while shouting, “I don’t understand what’s going on here, but like hell if you’re going to steal all of the thunder from me, Tyrant Emperor! Come, Connla! To the core!”</p><p>“Eh!? R-Right!” the child Saber uttered and followed him towards the castle. Beowulf likewise took pursuit so he could help carve a path through the thick wave of Fomorians pouring out of the grand structure. The three Servants of the Lugh Faction worked together to slaughter and decimate only the monsters that were getting directly in their way. It was gradually getting harder and harder for them to break through as they moved further from Nero’s Noble Phantasm, but they wouldn’t stop for anyone or anything regardless.</p><p>During the fight, Connla couldn’t stop thinking about Medusa and Heroine X. She wondered how they were faring when they were stuck in the heart of the onslaught. Her worst fear was that she was going to find two dead bodies. She kept telling herself over and over again that she was doing the best she could, yet something kept urging her to push herself harder than before. While distracted with her thoughts, she took a strong blow to her back and was sent tumbling along the ground.</p><p>Beowulf immediately bifurcated the fiend that attacked Connla, then helped his ally to her feet and barked, “What do you think you’re doing!? This is way too much for a little kid like you!”</p><p>“I’m fine! I can keep going!”</p><p>“Like hell you can! You’re bleeding like crazy!”</p><p>“This is nothing! I don’t want to slow you down, so don’t worry about me and keep pushing forward!”</p><p>“God damn it!” he swore and got in front to guard her from a huge broadsword that descended upon them. At the same time, she launched some fireballs at a few incoming goblins to protect his rear.</p><p>Lucius leapt high and slashed a giant’s throat, then landed near his comrades and snarled, “Absurd! To think we are being pushed back right at the gates! If only I had a moment to charge Florent, then I could make short work of that core!”</p><p>Connla heard this, then decided on what to do next. She ran past the startled Beowulf and conjured Lugh’s Halo within her hands. Although using it would definitely not be enough to defeat the Fomorian horde, she at least wanted to buy Lucius some time. Perhaps it would drain her of all of her remaining magical energy, rendering her unable to get out of the way of Lucius’ Noble Phantasm. Still, she felt it was better than doing nothing. She heard Beowulf imploring her to stop, but she ignored him and prepared to throw the flaming wheel at the monsters.</p><p>Just then, they heard a woman’s sultry voice echo throughout the entire area as she said, “Such a paltry attack is a waste of time and energy. Stand back and watch how it’s done.”</p><p>Connla immediately ceased her attack and looked up at where she thought she heard the woman. A bright white glint caught her eye, and she spotted a beautiful white winged horse flying high above the castle. A wave of immense relief washed through her as she recognized Medusa riding the steed, with Heroine X holding on to the animal’s leg for dear life. The Rider commanded Pegasus to turn its trajectory toward the monsters flooding out of the gates, and the sharp turn caused X to lose her grip and fall painfully through some awnings.</p><p>“OUCH!” she squealed.</p><p>Connla barely noticed that Beowulf had grabbed and carried her away from the vicinity, as she was too focused on what Medusa was doing. Pegasus descended upon the surprised Fomorians at lightning speed, and Medusa called out the name of her Noble Phantasm:</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Bellerophon!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>A massive explosion of pure white light overwhelmed everyone’s senses, and the blast threw the Servants away for several meters. Any monsters that were caught directly in Pegasus’ path were immediately vaporized, while others were violently blown high into the air. Lucius snarled and grit his teeth as he fought to maintain his balance. Once the wind settled enough, he broadly grinned once he saw that the entrance to Uma Palace was clear.</p><p>“Splendid work, Bewitching Serpent of Stone! But you will not be the one to have the last laugh!” he declared, then raised Florent before him. Absolute glee took him over, and he channeled that excitement into his sword so that it shone bright white. Florent was a sword that responded to the owner’s desire to declare their sovereignty and conquer other nations, as if adding more and more flowers to an ever-expanding garden. As he channeled his Noble Phantasm, Lucius couldn’t forget how King Arthur once accused him of how twisted his ambitions were:</p><p>
  <em>“If a lily is the flower of birth, then the way you wield your sword suggests that it is a blood-stained flower that only brings death.”</em>
</p><p>He smiled even harder than before.</p><p>
  <em>Fine by me! I am not one to hide my intentions behind pretty little ideals like you do, Arthur! I will not stop until my reign over all of these factions is assured! To that end, my conquest can only be achieved through shedding the blood of villains who dared to manipulate me!</em>
</p><p>Red petals swirled around Florent, then he raised it high above him and shouted, “My blade sings of the Emperor’s rule over all the people of the continent! Behold my authority, and tremble at its might! <em>Demon Sword…”</em></p><p>Then he swung down in a powerful arc.</p><p><em>“<strong>FLOREEE~EEENT!</strong></em>”</p><p>A streak of white light rushed straight through the gates. The energy seared clean through thick walls as it made its way for the Fomorian idol’s altar where the core resided. Once the Noble Phantasm hit its mark, it exploded in such a fantastic burst of white that every window and crevice illuminated long light rays outward. Not only that, millions of flower petals whirled everywhere, giving the palace a divine appearance for a few moments.</p><p>From her vantage point, Nero witnessed the glowing castle and shielded her eyes from the light, then remarked, “Whoooah! Not bad, Lucius Tiberius!”</p><p>Parvati and Ashwatthama likewise watched as their home was decimated. Even so, they weren’t as  discouraged about it as they should have been. They already knew that the Uma Faction was doomed the moment their guardian deity betrayed them, so they felt it was best to let things happen accordingly. Now that the threat was officially neutralized, they needed to focus on getting the citizens to safety and explaining the situation to them.</p><p>Back at the castle gates, the Noble Phantasm gradually lost power until the light completely faded and all of the petals fluttered around everyone like snow. The Roman Procurator boldly stood there, rested Florent over his shoulder, and glared at the dead Fomorians with mirth in his flashing eyes and arrogant grin.</p><p>“Fu… Fwa ha ha ha… <em>FWA HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!</em>”</p><p>Lucius’ laugh bellowed all around the Servants. Beowulf sighed and grumbled to himself, “Good grief. I can’t tell if he’s trying to make himself out as a hero or a villain.”</p><p>Connla didn’t have anything to say about that. She was just happy that the incident was resolved without any of her friends dying. It was difficult to say whether or not the citizens were okay since there were clearly some dead bodies lying around, but at least the roster of Servants was still going strong. Once everyone was evacuated to the treasury and fully rested, she would consider how to move on to launching a counterattack against the mastermind of this incident.</p><p>Some kind of crumbling sound alerted Connla, and she looked over to find Heroine X sifting her way through the rubble she was buried beneath. She rubbed a sore part of her back and painfully groaned, “Ugh… Talk about a rough landing…”</p><p><em>“Miss X!”</em> Connla squealed and ran up to give the surprised Assassin a hug. “Thank goodness you’re okay! I thought for sure you would be…”</p><p>“Hm! To be honest, I thought I was a goner as well. After Medusa and I dispatched the Shadow Servants, monsters just started spawning like crazy from where the stone idol was. Luckily I managed to grab hold of Pegasus’ hoof at the last moment and ride my way to safety.”</p><p>“Just so we’re clear,” Medusa interjected as she landed near them, “I had no intention of saving you.”</p><p>Beowulf looked around, then said, “Looks like we’re all accounted for. Let’s haul our asses back to the others and get everyone sorted out before returning to the treasury.”</p><p>Connla nodded. “Good idea. We’re all exhausted, and some of us need to get caught up with our current situation. Perhaps a strategy meeting between all of the factions is in order once we all meet back at base.”</p><p>“Time to go on the offensive, huh? Sounds like my kind of battle,” the Grendel Slayer smirked. He then glared over at Lucius, who was still laughing manaically, and shouted, “Hey, dumbass! How long do you plan on howling like an idiot there!? We’re leaving with or without you!”</p><p>“Pah! Is a man not allowed to savor his hard-earned victory!?” Lucius retorted, then sighed. “Alas, I shall relent for now and save this joy for when I declare my sovereignty over both Uma and Zhou simultaneously! I, for one, am also most curious to know why Nero decided to show up when she did! Come, let us rendezvous with Parvati’s group and interrogate that preening tyrant!”</p>
<hr/><p>While the other Servants were absent, Nero, Parvati and Ashwatthama cooperated to either eliminate the surviving Fomorians or guide the fleeing survivors to safety. The outskirts of Uma were steadily filling up with frightened and confused citizens who were looking around for their friends and family. After some time, Ashwatthama returned from his final patrol and reported to Parvati, “I think that’s all of the survivors we’re going to find.”</p><p>“Good work. We shall wait for Lucius’ group to return, then depart.”</p><p>“Don’t you think just up and leaving is a bit much for everyone after what they just went through? Haven’t you explained the situation to them yet?”</p><p>“I will in a moment. I needed to make sure that we saved everyone first before telling them.”</p><p>Meanwhile, Nero hopped down from the stage that was still parked within the lake. She overheard their discussion, then asked, “You say you are to depart from these lands? If your intention is to evacuate them to Roma, then I am sorry to say that it will not be an option.”</p><p>“So your guardian deity turned against you as well?” Parvati asked.</p><p>“Indeed. My word, what sort of calamity has befallen us? I still cannot comprehend the gravity of this situation. On top of that, my fellow Triumvirate have given up their lives to ensure that I carry on Roma’s legacy.”</p><p>“What!? Caesar and Cleopatra are dead!?”</p><p>“Umu…”</p><p>Lucius and his comrades had already made their way back across the bridge out of the city when they heard Parvati’s exclamation. The Roman became stunned, and he barked, “What nonsense is this!? Just what in the Nine Hells has happened to Roma!? Explain yourself at once, Nero!”</p><p>“Whoa, calm down, dude,” Beowulf implored, grabbing the back of Lucius’ coat and pulling him away from the swimsuit-clad Emperor. “I know you’re upset, but we’re going to step all over each other demanding for explanations. Let’s hear what she has to say first, then we’ll tell her our sides of the story.”</p><p>“Ungh…”</p><p>At the same time, Medusa quietly approached Parvati and Ashwatthama. She kneeled before the former and murmured, “My apologies for the delay. I’m afraid I have only unfortunate news to bring back to you.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. I already have a good idea of what happened,” Parvati assured and rested her hand on the Rider’s shoulder. “I was more worried about whether or not you would make it back alive. Seeing you is consolation enough for me.”</p><p>“Please, you need not waste such words on me…”</p><p>Meanwhile, Heroine X ran up to Nero’s theater and froze like a deer caught in headlights. Her eyes widened so much that they probably would have fallen out of the sockets, and her jaw dropped as she gasped in repressed horror, “That’s… That’s…”</p><p>“What’s the matter, Miss X?” Connla asked.</p><p>X’s expression turned into one of absolutely unfettered <em>rage</em>.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“THAT’S MY SPACESHIP!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“Eh? You mean the one powered by that Artorium stuff you were looking for?”</p><p>The Assassin was in no mood to correct her friend, as she dropped to her knees and cried out in blatant anguish, <em>“What the hell is this!? Why has my spaceship been converted into such an atrocious-looking amphitheater!?”</em></p><p>“Don’t look at me,” Connla raised her hands defensively. “Emperor Nero’s the one who used it.”</p><p>“Did someone say my name!?” Nero exclaimed and approached the duo gallantly. “Well!? How do you like my latest invention!? You both seem positively dumbstruck by its splendor!”</p><p>She rested her hand upon her chest in pride and continued, “I call it my Golden Theater, and the high-class aurora of the seas; Domus Aurea de Curcubeu Mare! Isn’t it just the most fantastic thing your eyes have ever beheld!? For the sake of a lord’s grand summer, its voice will take down all calamities and obstacles, and ensure the most brilliant victory above all els-!”</p><p><strong><em>“KIII~IIILL!”</em></strong> X suddenly shrieked and threw herself at Nero, intent on slashing her into bloody meat ribbons with Secretcalibur.</p><p><em>“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!”</em> Connla yelped and hurried to latch herself against the livid Assassin’s back like a koala hugging a tree in order to fend her from the bikini-clad emperor. She grunted hard, then squeaked, “What do you think you’re doing!?”</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“That harlot used my spaceship as parts for a freakin’ pipe organ! Unforgivable! Just wait until I get a hand on YOUR organs, Nero Claudius! I’ll bury you six feet under the sea if it’s the last thing I do!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“H-Hold on now! Time out, TIME OUUUT!”</p><p>“My!” Nero gasped, apparently unperturbed by X’s outbursts. “So that abandoned contraption belonged to you? Well have no fear. It seemed to be lacking in practical function, but its technology was so impressive that I took the liberty of repurposing it into my Noble Phantasm.”</p><p>“Yes, we saw that already!” Connla yelped, still struggling to keep X at bay. “D-Do you think… you could… give it back to her!?”</p><p>“Hmm. That would be rather difficult, given how it no longer resembles its original form.”</p><p>Tears streamed down X’s face as she cried out in furious agony, <em>“Then how am I supposed to get back to the Servant Universe!? That was my only way off this planet!”</em></p><p>“We’ll think of something, I promise!” the young Saber pleaded. “Just calm down for now! Losing your temper like this is not going to help anyone!”</p><p>“Guuuh… Uuuuh! My spaceship, gone! And now I’m being comforted by a Saber… Could my life possibly get any worse right now!?”</p><p>X gave up trying to murder Nero and sauntered off to a distant corner to sulk by herself. Connla twiddled her fingers together, then said to Nero, “We should probably leave her alone for now.”</p><p>“Agreed,” the emperor said, then called out to the Servants, “All right, everyone! I know you have been waiting with bated breath for my part of this tale, and I appreciate your continued patience! Let me begin in summation by stating that, indeed, Roma has fallen in the clutches of this mysterious enemy! I am aware of Uma’s status, but what of Zhou? Has Wu Zetian’s territory met a similar fate?”</p><p>“Mm,” Connla nodded. “Zhou’s survivors are currently making their way to the Lugh Faction’s headquarters.”</p><p>“Lugh Faction?” Nero raised an eyebrow, then immediately turned to Lucius and declared, “I bet this was your idea, wasn’t it? You certainly would be the type to abandon your status as a member of my Triumvirate to find leadership in your own faction. Your idolization of the Celtic god Lugh was often one of your defining characteristics, after all.”</p><p>“Fwa ha ha ha! Of course!” he laughed. “But let us be clear – you were the one who expelled me! I simply took that as an opportunity to escape from your overblown shadow!”</p><p>“Hmph. Well, we shall save those semantics for a later time. For now, let me regale you all with my account of what happened in Roma.”</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Several days ago…</em>
</p><p>The grand coliseum situated within the center of Roma, the largest city among all three existing factions, roared with life. Rows upon rows of seats were filled to the brim with cheering spectators as they watched the latest match unfold. This was the beating heart of the annual event known as Nerofest, named in honor of the Roma Faction’s leader and the Triumvirate’s most powerful member. Everyone always looked forward to this occasion, especially the guards and warriors who were eager to vent some steam and let out their pent-up frustrations upon each other in flagrant displays of violence. Even so, the number one rule of Nerofest was, “No killing allowed,” so these matches never wound up causing fatalities.</p><p>The senators’ section of seats were situated way at the bottom so the most privileged and elite of Roma’s citizens could watch the action directly. Nero sat in the highest seat – a golden throne clad in velvet cloth – and observed the latest fight with a pleased smile. The two seats next to her (which were purposely lower than hers) were occupied by Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar and Pharaoh Cleopatra VII Philopator. The rotund man waved a fan in front of his face and groaned, “My, my. What a bother. Why must I force myself to observe such ridiculous contests of strength? I fail to comprehend how these tedious and repetitious displays can be conceived as entertaining.”</p><p>“Don’t say that. I’m finding this rather pleasant,” the beautiful green-haired woman seated next to him replied. “My body practically itches with the desire to show off my elegant combat style.”</p><p>“No, no, no! A proper lady like yourself should not throw herself into the ring so callously!”</p><p>“Fu fu fu, I know that. I’ve been holding back on your account. A man of your… um, <em>stature</em> might wind up having a coronary attack if he watched his beloved fight for entertainment’s sake.”</p><p>“Ugh. Is this another one of your pokes at my weight?”</p><p>“My, what ever do you mean? Don’t make such baseless assumptions,” Cleopatra defended herself, but obviously possessed a tinge of guilt in her eyes.</p><p>“Well, fine,” Caesar relented and smiled. “Besides, it’s not like Nerofest is a total waste of time from my perspective. A real businessman like myself never allows an opportunity pass to display his real talents. Think of all the wealth this festival has garnered! With but only a fraction devoted to necessary expenses, we have brought in countless customers and inspired them to surrender their money to us! Ah, I sometimes fear how powerful my eloquence is. It is truly a gift from Venus herself.”</p><p>“Oh well. I suppose everyone has fun in their own way,” she shrugged and returned her attention to the fight.</p><p>They watched the next three matches unfold without incident. During the middle of the fourth though, something bizarre happened. Just as the two gladiators were about to clash swords, the caged entrance to the field blasted off its hinges and clattered along the dirt, surprising everyone present. Standing there was a Fomorian monster wielding a blunt club, and it hobbled into the arena on its misaligned legs. Everyone fell silent, unsure of what was going on.</p><p>“What is that nightmarish thing?” Caesar wondered, then faced Nero and asked, “Did you plan for monsters to show up at random to spice things up?”</p><p>“No, I did not,” she admitted, sounding as confused as him. “All predetermined matches as to be held as scheduled, and exhibition fights forbid the use of monsters.”</p><p>One of the fighters decided to raise his sword and charge at the Fomorian, assuming that it was a threat that needed to be neutralized. Suddenly, it lumbered over him and swung its mace at the man’s head, decapitating him in one swift motion. The head sailed across the air and landed in the spectators’ stands, terrifying anyone who was unfortunate enough to be in the immediate vicinity. Panic instantly overcame the citizens, and they screamed for their lives while scrambling to escape from the coliseum all at once.</p><p>“What in the world!?” Cleopatra shrieked. Caesar and Nero were equally as stunned by the brutal murder. The angered Pharaoh hopped over the rail and landed in the battlefield before shouting at the monster, “What do you think you’re doing!? Don’t you know that this event forbids killing!?”</p><p>“GwwWoOooOOgGH…” the Fomorian growled and turned to face her. She sensed nothing but hatred and bloodlust in its malformed eyes, and she winced.</p><p>An entire troop of Roma’s guards hurried in front of her, and one man shouted, “Please stay back, Pharaoh! This creature is dangerous!”</p><p>“No need to state the obvious to me, thank you very much!” she retorted, then got into her fighting stance. “I am beyond angry at this point!”</p><p>“You don’t understand, my lady! This is not the only monster that has appeared! There are dozens of them surrounding the coliseum as we speak!”</p><p>Nero’s eyes widened as she cried out, “What balderdash is this!? Where did they come from!?”</p><p>“We just got a report from the last survivor of the men guarding the deity, and they said that those creatures started pouring out everywhere after the idol destroyed itself! Casualties are already in the hundreds… no, perhaps the thousands!”</p><p>“No… Romulus preserve us…”</p><p>Caesar then shouted, “The citizens! If what that guard said is true, then the escapees might be slaughtered the moment they leave the coliseum!”</p><p>“Damn it! I will take care of it! Caesar, leave the monsters that have breached the coliseum walls to the guards! You go with Cleopatra and find out what is happening with the guardian deity!”</p><p>“Normally I would not be eager to accept such a task, but this time is different! Anyone who disturbs Roma’s peace and lays a hand on my Cleopatra will come to know my wrath!”</p><p>The rotund emperor brandished his golden sword and hopped out of the stands to assist his beloved in the ring. Nero elegantly leapt high into the air backwards and jumped along the rising seats to the coliseum’s highest walls, twisting her body several times simply for dramatic flair. From this vantage point, she had a good view of the chaos happening outside. Her heart sunk with dread as she witnessed several monsters murder some citizens who were fleeing from the coliseum. The sight of innocent people’s blood spewing everywhere angered the otherwise cheerful emperor, and she clenched her teeth in fury.</p><p>“Unforgivable!” Nero cried out in shock. “I do not know what has provoked such senseless carnage, but damned if I will allow this to continue! Although the timing is not desirable, I must unveil Nerofest’s grand finale and protect my adoring fans!”</p><p>She spread her arms out, and a flurry of flaming red rose petals swirled around her. They increased in number until they provided enough coverage for her to change her outfit in privacy. Her vermilion dress burned away until she was completely nude, and the bow in her hair untied itself to undo the French braid she wore and let her long blonde hair flow free. Then the flaming petals affixed themselves to her body and transformed into a striped criss-cross bikini. In that moment, Nero’s Spirit Origin changed her class from a Saber to a Caster. Once she was ready, the flowery spectacle dissipated so she could show herself off to the onlookers below.</p><p>Under normal circumstances, Nero would have happily given herself a grand introduction. Now though, she was so livid beyond belief that she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She wielded her sword Aestus Estus, then dropped down and plummeted upon the horde of Fomorians terrorizing the citizens. In a brilliant flash of gold, a pair of pipe organ-like weapons materialized over her shoulders, and she commanded, “FIRE!”</p><p>Several organs detached themselves from the weapon and sailed toward the monsters, then unleashed a flurry of laser attacks that tore them into pieces. Nero clenched her fist and punched with all her might upon a surviving creature’s head, pummeling it clean into the ground with one blow. Two Fomorians attempted to ambush her from behind, but she swung her sword in a high arc and cleaved through them with little effort. She vaulted back to her feet, then folded her arms and positioned her cannons so that they could fire a single powerful shot at a group of fiends approaching her in the distance. The explosion both obliterated them and decimated the surrounding area in a fiery storm.</p><p>Once she was sure she cleared out the coliseum’s entrance, Nero called out to the escapees, “Let us retreat to the caverns for shelter! I shall safeguard you all along the way!”</p>
<hr/><p>Meanwhile, Caesar and Cleopatra did as Nero commanded and entrusted the coliseum’s safety to the Roman guards while they hurried out of the back entrance. The Pharaoh summoned her snake familiar and rode along its back toward the citadel where Roma’s stone idol was being housed. Caesar desperately tried to keep up, but wheezed, “Hah… hah… haah! S-Slow down for me, will you!? A man can only go so fast!”</p><p>“Quit your bellyaching! And I mean that in more ways than one!” she retorted. “Consider this an opportunity for you to get some much-needed exercise!”</p><p>“Then why… don’t you… run along… with me!? T-There’s nothing better… than couple’s exercise… is there!?”</p><p>“I already did my 25 laps around the coliseum this morning, so I am as fit as can be. Not that I don’t have the perfect body already, mind you. Perhaps you should look to my perfection as inspiration for your own fitness endeavors.”</p><p>“Hah… hah… hah… G-Give me… a break…!”</p><p>They eventually reached the entrance to the altar, and Caesar collapsed face-down on the ground to catch his breath. Cleopatra dismounted her snake and stood tall like a fashionista as she panned her eyes around the area. Although the entrance to the altar was demolished and rubble was strewn about everywhere, there weren’t any signs of hostile life anywhere. She frowned in disdain, turned to face Caesar, and muttered, “What a disaster. But it looks like we’re in luck. I don’t see any of those fiends lurking about anywhere. Good thing too – I’d deliver Heaven’s wrath itself for having to work up a sweat against such abominations after applying my makeup.”</p><p>As Caesar regained his composure and got to his knees, that was when he noticed unusual movement behind Cleopatra. The dirt softened into viscous mud, and several malformed hands reached out to grab the surface. One such hand snatched her ankle, and she cried out, “Hyah!?”</p><p>“Why you-!” Caesar snarled and jammed his sword into the offending wrist. He pushed her away and continued hacking at the monster that was trying to emerge from the mud, mercilessly killing it. Cleopatra stumbled backwards, then gazed in horror at the Fomorians that revealed themselves.</p><p>“Looks like our guardian deity’s sanctuary has turned into a mausoleum for the living dead,” she scoffed, then flipped her long green locks with her fingers and pointed at the beasts like a diva. Spontaneous flashes of sparkling bright lights flared around them, blasting some monsters’ stomachs wide open. One managed to escape the onslaught and rushed in to punch her. She deftly sidestepped it and used its own weight to throw it onto the ground with a judo toss. She then stomped her heel on the back of its neck, internally decapitating it.</p><p>Caesar struck down several more Fomorians with his sword. One tried to crush him to death with its club, but suddenly found its heavy swing blocked by some kind of strange stone appendage that had formed around the emperor’s arm.</p><p>“Hmph,” he smirked. He used his new gargantuan arm to pick up the attacker and viciously hurl it at the oncoming crowd of fiends, toppling them all like a bowling ball hitting the pins. He shouted at Cleopatra, “We musn’t tarry any longer! Let us see what has happened to the guardian!”</p><p>“I’m right behind you!” she exclaimed as she slaughtered another Fomorian with her lightshow magic. She did some gymnastic flips and reunited with Caesar, then they hurried inside the altar when they had the opportunity. They thought for sure that the stone idol was under attack from some mysterious enemy, but when they saw the state of things inside, their theory was immediately dashed.</p><p>“Unbelievable!” Cleopatra gasped.</p><p>The Fomorian idol’s core pulsed with dark energy akin to a beating heart. Each throb unleashed a malevolent wave that congealed and formed into each monster they just fought. Caesar was so astonished, he barely recognized his own voice as he cried out, “This… This isn’t possible! Our own protector is responsible for this mayhem!?”</p><p>“So it would seem,” the Pharaoh sighed sullenly, thinking of the humans and Servants who had been sacrificed to it before. “We offered so many lives so that it may provide for Roma’s future, and this is how it thanks us? Or have we been mistaken this whole time? Is what we call a ‘deity’ actually a gluttonous demon that will not be satisfied until all forms of life are offered in its name?”</p><p>“Kh! To think that I had been deceived so callously! Never before have I seen a silver tongue finer than mine!” the Roman shouted angrily. A deep red haze formed around him in response to his fury, and he declared, “So be it! If Roma has been built on the fragile foundations of lies and false promises of everlasting wealth, then I will shatter this illusion with my bare hands! Indeed, a nation’s success should not come from an external source, but rather from one’s own talents coupled with the efforts of an entire community striving for the same future!”</p><p>“Ah, such moving words… Well spoken, my lord,” Cleopatra crooned. “My heart always weighed heavy, knowing that I had to give up my former Egyptian faction’s independence and merge with Roma if I wanted my people to survive. I thought for certain that exchanging the lives of traitors and dissidents for resources was the right thing to do. But if this so-called ‘guardian’ has the gall to laugh at the many poor souls sacrificed in its honor, all while hungering for more offerings to sate its appetite, then I will have no more of this!”</p><p>She got into her fighting stance and yelled, “Come at me however you like, scoundrels! I will shine most brilliantly walking atop your fetid corpses!”</p><p>She sidestepped a falling mace, then raised her leg as high as possible and smashed her heel upon the monster’s arm. The blow was so powerful that she fully disconnected the lower arm from the rest of its body. It balled its other fist and punched the surprised Pharaoh, throwing her back-first against the wall. It would have pummeled her further, but a distinct golden slash sliced through its throat, killing it instantly. The livid Caesar landed in front of his wife, then scowled darkly at the oncoming Fomorians and let out a battle cry that she had never heard before. Despite his gaunt stature, Caesar was surprisingly quick on his feet as he barged through the monsters and hacked away at them with no hesitation.</p><p>Seeing his valiance, Cleopatra quickly recovered and vaulted along the floor, then landed on the wall and launched her full weight at another fiend. She raised her knee and delivered a blow to its cheek, then twirled about and kicked its head clean into the concrete floor. She sensed another monster charging at her from behind, and she calmly snapped her fingers. On her command, bursts of yellow light pulverized the attacker into pieces.</p><p>The creatures growled, noticing that they weren’t making much progress against the two Servants. The core flared a sinister deep green color, and an inky substance snaked its way out until it formed into a gigantic Fomorian. Its bellow shook the ground around them, and shattered any nearby windows. Shards of glass rained around the Servants as they glared at their new opponent.</p><p>“Watch us, Caesarion! Your mother and father will do you proud!” Caesar declared, then took the lead in charging at the fiend. Cleopatra nodded and followed him, readying her dominant leg to deliver a roundhouse kick.</p><p>Violence struck the creature so quickly that it had no idea what was going on. Caesar slashed his sword wildly in perfect tandem with Cleopatra’s barrage of kicks. Their movements mirrored each other as they ripped apart the Fomorian with no remorse. They then finished it off by thrusting forth parallel to each other, emerging on the opposite side as the monster collapsed to the floor. Cleopatra strutted, flipped her hair, and exclaimed, “Indeed, the power of love conquers all!”</p><p>“Hm… I’m afraid we have little time to celebrate our victory,” Caesar frowned as he glared at the pulsating core. He clenched his stone-armored hand and muttered, “This nightmare will not end unless we be rid of the source, yet I fear my sword alone will not suffice.”</p><p>“My Noble Phantasm could eliminate it, but unleashing it within such tight quarters will be far too dangerous.”</p><p>“Ugh. If there is an enemy I so detest, it is one that cannot be negotiated with.”</p><p>The Roman let out a resigned sigh. Soon, he muttered, “Fine. My mind is made up.”</p><p>“Caesar…?” Cleopatra whispered.</p><p>Before she could stop him, he readied himself before charging straight for the core. It sensed his presence and launched numerous black needle, piercing through his thick golden armor. He ignored the pain, jumped high, somersaulted a few times, then pointed his sword downward and stabbed it while shouting, “If it’s for the greater good of Roma, then my life is an inconsequential sacrifice in comparison!”</p><p><em>“Caesar!”</em> the frantic Pharaoh shrieked, and tried to run to her husband’s aid.</p><p>
  <em>“Stay back!”</em>
</p><p>“But-!”</p><p>“Now’s your chance! Use your Noble Phantasm while I have it pinned down!”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous!”</p><p>Before she could get any closer though, the core suddenly exploded with numerous spikes like a prickly burr, impaling Caesar through numerous areas of his body. Blood spewed out of his mouth, and he moaned, “Good grief… Dying like a hero really isn’t suitable for me… But oh well. What are you going to do? We’ll just have to leave the rest to Nero.”</p><p>With firm resolve, Caesar drove his sword further into the core, then shouted at Cleopatra, “Do it!”</p><p>“All right! I don’t want to do, but there is no choice!” she called back, then stood tall and chanted, “The cause for the Fall of Egypt. The Serpent that signals the End Times. I command you as the Last Pharaoh…”</p><p>A large serpent comprised of a golden boa constrictor’s head and various disjointed pieces for its body lithely coiled around her before rushing toward Caesar and igniting in a burst of searing flame.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Uraeus Astrape!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Before either Servant knew it, they were fully engulfed in a merciless inferno that incinerated everything. The stone idol’s core was vaporized into nothing, swiftly ending the onslaught of monsters assaulting Roma. However, both Servants knew that they would not make it out alive. They simply stood there and accepted their fate. Whether it was with their own voices or through their minds, neither of them would be sure, but they somehow managed to have a last conversation together.</p><p>“Cleo… pat… ra…”</p><p>“Cae… sar…”</p><p>“Guess… this is… a little late… for me to… say this… but… sorry for not… slimming down… like you asked…”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“Are you mad?”</p><p>“U… U fu fu fu… Of course not. You’re still… the Caesar… I know and love…”</p><p>“Good grief…”</p><p>“Let’s go. Caesarion… is waiting for us…”</p><p>“… Yeah. You’re right.”</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE: I sincerely apologize for the super-late update. I was getting a little fatigued with writing back in summer, so I decided to wait until NaNoWriMo to build up some new ideas before resuming. Now that it’s here, I should be able to get much closer to finishing this story so I can work on ideas for the seventh story. Thank you for your patience and please continue giving me your support.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Meeting of the Heroes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>23: Meeting of the Heroes</strong>
</p><p>By this time, Nero had guided the few remaining survivors out of the city and well into the outskirts. Most of the citizens were women and children, with only a small handful of men accompanying them. The majority of Roma’s men were conscripted to be soldiers, and the women had to make the extremely difficult choice of leaving the elderly behind so they could save the children. That was why most of the women were crying profusely – they had to give up on their aged parents or relatives, and it left them devastated.</p><p>“Do not worry, my good people,” Nero declared. “Though it was a most difficult trial for all of you, I assure you that those who have passed on would not wish for you to grieve so. Stand tall and know that you have survived through a true miracle, and are alive to carry on Roma’s legacy.”</p><p>“Miracle, nothing!” a despairing mother cried out. “You didn’t have to leave anyone behind, Your Majesty!”</p><p>“Wrong! I had to entrust Caesar and Cleopatra with a most dangerous mission! If my intuition is correct, then they are no longer among us to tell of their tale of bravery! Then there are my soldiers – your fathers, brothers and husbands! Not to mention the thousands of people I failed to protect! Did you think I would flee to safety without a heavy heart!? Nay! Quite the opposite! But it was out of necessity! Believe me when I say this, but we share the same tears, anguish and frustration in this moment! Do not think that you are alone in your suffering!”</p><p>“Uh… Forgive me for that outburst…”</p><p>“Umu. Think nothing of it. Not even I have an inkling of why this tragedy has befallen us, yet it will be most difficult for me to conduct a thorough search when I have to ensure your safety.”</p><p>“So what are we to do now, M’Lady?” one of Nero’s female retainers wondered. “Is it possible for one of the other factions to grant us citizenship?”</p><p>“Muu…” Nero pondered deeply. “That is the only viable option we have, though I fear it would be suicide if we were to venture to Zhou.”</p><p>“That means Uma is our only option.”</p><p>“Indeed. I have heard of overcrowding issues there, but Parvati is a most benevolent woman. If I explain the situation, she will surely welcome us with open arms, despite our past as bitter rivals.”</p><p>A man then asked, “But what if Uma has been attacked the same way we have? If Uma falls, then we really would have no choice but to seek shelter in Zhou!”</p><p>“How dreadful…” another woman moaned fearfully. “I don’t know what’s worse, being eaten by those horrible monsters or Wu Zetian treating us like garbage.”</p><p>Nero remarked, “Nothing is certain until we see for ourselves. Do not let doubt cloud your minds. Stay calm and focus on shepherding the children. Once we are within proximity of Uma, I will go on ahead and investigate the situation myself.”</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>The present…</em>
</p><p>“And there you have it,” Nero concluded her story with a forlorn expression. “Just like that, my beloved Roma is in ruins, and I only have around 100 survivors left to guide to safety.”</p><p>“How awful,” Parvati gasped. “Zhou and Uma actually fared better in comparison.”</p><p>“Oooh… What cruel irony! To think that the grandest of the three factions would have the most fatalities! What in the world were those creatures that robbed me of two Servants and thousands of people!? Why was my entire city transformed into an arena of blood and senseless carnage!? <em>I demand an explanation for this!</em>”</p><p>“Please calm yourself, Nero. I understand your frustration, but you need to maintain your focus. We will all do our best to fill you in on what has happened.”</p><p>“Ngh… Very well. You and Wu Zetian are in the same position as me, so I have little right to wail with such fervor. So then, what is the plan? Are we to venture somewhere?”</p><p>Lucius nodded and said, “Yeah. All of you are coming with me to my faction’s safehold. Not only that, you’re going to be amalgamating what’s left of Roma into my group. Parvati and Wu Zetian have already agreed to do so with their factions, so it’s only fair that you do the same, Nero.”</p><p>“Quit your waffing this instant, Lucius. I have no intention of playing second fiddle to you.”</p><p>“Oh? I guess you’ll be fine with finding a safe spot on your own then.”</p><p>“Ugh… Damn! Fine! If that’s your condition, then I have no choice but to accept! Not for myself, but for my scared and confused citizens!”</p><p>“Excellent. I knew you would see reason for what it is,” he smirked delightedly. However, he then frowned and glared at her while muttering, “This isn’t another demand per se, but I just have a little favor to ask of you.”</p><p>Her brows widened in curiosity as she wondered, “Oh? Why, do tell! I may be in a foul mood, but depending on the nature of this favor of yours, I may be gracious enough to grant it!”</p><p>Lucius visibly cringed, then asked, “You think you could change out of that ridiculous getup?”</p><p>“What!?” Nero cried out dramatically. “In what universe is a swimsuit of this caliber considered ridiculous!? It is only fitting that a maiden singing of her glory on the open sea should be dressed appropriately!”</p><p>“Show some fucking dignity, woman! How do you plan on rallying your people when you are not taking yourself seriously!? No one in their right mind would want to listen to a mental case garbed in naught more but a few flimsy strips of garish cloth!”</p><p>“Uuuh… Remiss as I am to admit, you do have a point. One as gifted as myself may possess many roles, but it is also wise to know when to dial back on my more carefree personas. In this time of need, it is imperative that I exercise my authority as Roma’s lone remaining ruler, and my state of dress should likewise reflect that. Give me a moment to change, then I will rally everyone to meet at your faction’s stronghold.”</p>
<hr/><p>Several hours later, Nero and Parvati informed their citizens of what happened and the current plan of action. Since no Fomorian idols were left to give them any food, everyone had to work together to scrounge anything they could find in Uma before leaving. Tension began to rise when everyone saw that there would be enough for about three days’ worth.</p><p>“Worry not, good people!” Nero barked, having noticed this unsettling atmosphere. She had changed back into her usual red dress and translucent skirt by now, so she really did look like a proper leader. “I swear on my honor that I will secure a new food source! All I ask is for your continued patience and cooperation!”</p><p>Parvati added, “If need be, we Servants will hunt the local wildlife. There is no cause for concern at this moment. Please bear with us, and we will get through this together.”</p><p>Most people began to calm down when they heard this. Once they were ready, Lucius, Connla and Beowulf led the way through the confusing tunnels back to the massive treasury. Heroine X was still sulking about her spaceship, which was exacerbated when she knew she had to leave it behind. Nero promised her that she would repair it eventually, but they needed to deal with this crisis first. Thus, X kept to herself in the back while keeping an eye out for any other possible assailants.</p><p>Connla was so excited to reunite with Nursery Rhyme and Jack that she often kept running ahead of her partners. Lucius laughed, “Hah ha ha ha! What is the hurry, missy? The treasury is not going anywhere!”</p><p>“But I want to make sure everyone from Zhou is doing okay,” she replied. “Not only that, I <em>really</em> want to get back in contact with Lord Gilgamesh. The longer I hold off on calling him, the angrier he’s going to be.”</p><p>“Gilgamesh, hm? Is he also a Servant from this Chaldea place that you hail from?”</p><p>“Yes. He and I aren’t the only ones either. There’s Ms. Da Vinci, Sakata Kintoki, Sir Mordred, Lord Sigurd, Lord Ozymandias, Lady Nitocris, Queen Medb, and even multiple variants of my father Cuchulainn. There are so many Servants there that I haven’t had the chance to meet everyone yet.”</p><p>“Oh hoh. You Master’s roster possesses quite the pedigree.”</p><p>Beowulf cracked his knuckles and asked, “Are there any good fighters there?”</p><p>“Hmm…” Connla mumbled. “I’m not totally sure. I know that Cuchulainn Lancer likes to have a good fight. There could be someone, but I just haven’t met them yet.”</p><p>“Is that right? Sure sounds like quite the rowdy place.”</p><p>“It’s lively, at the very least. That’s why I want to hurry and get this incident resolved as soon as possible. I have such terrible luck that I always wind up getting involved in outrageous Singularities like this. The only time I ever feel safe is within Chaldea’s walls.”</p><p>She closed her eyes and thought about Ritsuka, Mash, Roman, Da Vinci, and all of the other staff and Servants. She had a feeling that news of this incident had already reached them by now, and that they would be working with the other Servants on Okeanos to save her, Jack and Nursery. She hoped that all of this pell-mell with warring factions, Fomorian idols and evil Celtic gods would not overwhelm Chaldea’s resources.</p><p>Lucius noticed how somber Connla looked and thought, <em>No wonder she is so eager to escape from here. She was literally wrenched from the safety of her home and thrown into a foreign world where strife and sacrifice are the norm.</em></p><p>He then smirked to himself.</p><p>
  <em>Perhaps it is a place I should see for myself.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Back on Okeanos’ primary island, Gilgamesh remained inside the cottage and spoke with Roman and Da Vinci for a long while. All of the other Servants were scattered across the islands hunting for the stone idols to destroy them. As the day dwindled on, Gilgamesh and the Chaldeans received word of everyone’s success, except for Cuchulainn Alter’s. It was understandable though since the Berserker’s search took him underwater, plus he wasn’t the sociable type anyway.</p><p>“Looks like Emiya and Cu Proto’s search was successful,” Da Vinci said as she listened to a recording of their report. “But this is rather interesting… Just from seeing the Fomorian idol in person, Cu has a good idea of who is responsible for this Singularity. If we have a name to work with, then we can pinpoint any potential weakness of theirs.”</p><p>“No need to tell me. I already know the culprit’s identity,” Gilgamesh muttered.</p><p>“Do you, now? Mind sharing with the class, Your Majesty?”</p><p>“Hah hah hah. Don’t be so impatient, woman. A mystery’s merit hinges on figuring out the unknown for yourself. To jump ahead to the end would disrespect the author’s effort to build a compelling story.”</p><p>“That might be true for fiction, but we’re dealing with a real threat here.”</p><p>“Same difference. If you want the answers, you will have to look elsewhere.”</p><p>“So you’re just bragging that you know everything. Typical King of Heroes.”</p><p>“Hmph. I merely say so since I am the only connection the runt and her cohorts have to the outside world,” the king retorted. “If the need arises, then I will divulge the secret to her.”</p><p>“Well as long as you have the girls’ welfare in mind, then do as you please,” Da Vinci nodded.</p><p>The moment Gilgamesh reclined in his chair, he heard the front door swing open. He looked over and found Cuchulainn Alter sauntering into the living quarters that had been repurposed as a temporary war room. The grumpy Celt glared at the relaxed Sumerian king, then grunted, “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”</p><p>“Of course I am. Only I would have the percipience to find pleasure in such chaos.”</p><p>“Whatever. I’m not in the mood to argue with you.”</p><p>“So then, what news do you bring?”</p><p>“No sign of Aspidochelone anywhere, but I did manage to wreck a Fomorian idol that was located underwater. I had to defeat a Shadow Servant resembling Saint Martha though.”</p><p>“The holy woman who tamed Tarasque, hm? Not surprising.”</p><p>Cuchulainn raised an eyebrow. “Why do you say that?”</p><p>“Emiya’s team contended with Saint George, while the other Cuchulainn and his group fought Chevalier D’Eon. All staunch Christians perverted into Shadow Servants, I may add.”</p><p>“Shit… Does Connla know what’s going on?”</p><p>“She contacted me several hours ago. Said she was conducting an infiltration mission to destroy a statue inside the Phantasmal. She said some strange things though, such as entire nations being built around the idols, and of how people are sacrificed to them in order to produce food and resources.”</p><p>“I knew it. This has to be <em>his</em> doing!” the Berserker seethed darkly, then slammed his fist on a nearby table. “If the kid runs into him, he’ll slaughter her without remorse! I have to get in there and kill him before that happens!”</p><p>“Calm yourself, Mad Mongrel. Judging from my conversation with the runt, she does not seem to understand who she’s truly up against. If I know her well enough, she will exercise extreme caution and stay close with her newfound allies for support until she reunites with us. Not even a god would want to challenge an entire bevy of Servants, after all.”</p><p>“Yeah… Wait a minute. You know who the mastermind is, so why didn’t you tell her yourself!?”</p><p>Gilgamesh glared at Cuchulainn angrily. “Are you as mad as your moniker suggests? If I carelessly revealed the truth to her, she would have run off to confront him on her lonesome! When dealing with someone of her character, omitting such details is imperative if I wish to keep the reigns on her selfless behavior!”</p><p>Cuchulainn snarled in frustration, but silently agreed with Gilgamesh’s logic. He sat down on the sofa, then asked, “Do you know when the kid will contact you again?”</p><p>“I can’t make any guarantees, but she promised she would call me as soon as-“</p><p>
  <em>Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep.</em>
</p><p>Both men, along with Roman and Da Vinci, jolted in surprise when they heard the high-pitched beeping sound. Roman cried out, “That must be her!”</p><p>“Connla!” Cuchulainn gasped. It had been far too long since he last saw his daughter, so even just seeing her on the monitor would greatly help with reducing his elevated stress levels.</p><p>“Oh, what impeccable timing, runt. Let’s see what you have to say this time,” Gilgamesh smiled and answered the call.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>“WHOOO~OOOAH!”</em>
</p><p>That was the reaction Nero, Parvati, Ashwatthama, and all of the citizens following them had when they entered the massive treasury. Medusa remained unmoved as always, remaining by Parvati’s side as the elated goddess ran along a sandy dune and exclaimed, “I don’t believe this! Look at all of this gold! Oh my, are those pirate ships filled to the brim with gemstones!? Medusa, look at this! It’s Michelangelo’s <em>Leda and the Swan</em>, said to have been destroyed due to its erotic nature!”</p><p>“Please calm yourself, Lady Parvati,” the Rider muttered. “Running around like a giddy child is unbecoming of your fine stature.”</p><p>“I can’t help it! I’ve heard of many treasures that are considered lost, but if they had been here all this time, why, imagine how much the world would change!”</p><p>“Umu! To think that we were a hop and a skip away from such a momentous discovery is both fascinating and embarrassing!” Nero agreed as she picked up a Faberge Egg nestling atop a pile of gold coins.</p><p>“HEY!” Lucius shouted lividly. “Hands off my property, Nero! I found this grand coffer first, so all of its contents rightfully belong to me!”</p><p>“Says who? An honorable man like you should disperse the wealth equally.”</p><p>“Well I am <em>not</em> a man of honor, so the wealth will <em>not</em> be distributed whatsoever.”</p><p>“My goodness. The Founding Father would be ashamed if he were to learn of your flagrant greediness.”</p><p>“Pah! Lord Romulus would be more understanding than you think! He would say something like, ‘All is Roma’ and smile quietly while watching us squabble like petulant children!”</p><p>“Ugh… You probably have a point there…”</p>
<hr/><p>Meanwhile, Beowulf stretched his arms and remarked, “Ahh, good to be back. That job took longer than I thought, but at least the other stone idols have been destroyed. Now we don’t have to worry about any of those freaks ambushing us from behind.”</p><p>“Damn straight,” Ashwatthama agreed.</p><p>“I guess…” Heroine X mumbled, still feeling dejected.</p><p>Suddenly, a third man’s voice interjected, “That’s actually quite a shame. I was having a grand time testing my mettle against an unending army of otherworldly demons.”</p><p>The group looked over to find a certain red-haired Chinese martial artist approaching them with a casual grin on his face. None of them were sure who he was, but then they heard Elizabeth cry out, “Li Shuwen!”</p><p>“Oh! I see you and everyone else from Zhou made it out okay,” he remarked. “Not that I had any doubts, mind you.”</p><p>“Don’t laugh like it’s no big deal! Where the heck have you been this whole time!? Once everything was settled, you just took off!”</p><p>“Ka ka ka ka! Unless I am in the employ of a lord, I have a terrible tendency to sit still, young lady! After Zhou’s downfall, I made haste to Uma to fend off numerous monsters. Though I wish I could have joined in the fight there, I regret to admit that I suffered quite a vicious wound while safeguarding a fleeing family.”</p><p>Li took off his shirt and showed them a distinct scar running along his upper shoulder blades. Elizabeth yelped, “Holy crap, that looks bad! Are you gonna be fine!?”</p><p>“Worry not. Before we parted ways, the people I rescued were generous enough to administer treatment. So long as I have ample rest, my energy will return to me shortly. Judging by the increasingly tense atmosphere looming around us, my instincts tell me that things will get most exciting again.”</p><p>“I guess so. In the blink of an eye, all three factions have been totally wiped out. Plus we still have to find this pig who had the nerve to crush my dreams of defeating Wu Zetian and avenging Uncle Vlad!”</p><p>“In due time. If I were to judge someone whom I’ve never met yet, then I’d say that our perpretrator will make himself known shortly. His hastiness to crush each civilization here tells me that he is ready to enact whatever sinister plan he has in mind, yet he cannot do so when there is an army of Servants ready to challenge him.”</p><p>“Oooh…” Elizabeth became peeved, but understood Li’s wisdom and calmed down.</p><p>“Heh!” Beowulf suddenly interrupted their conversation. “So you’re the Master of the Single Strike, Li Shuwen, huh? Don’t think I’ve made your acquaintance yet. I’m-“</p><p>“The Grendel Slayer Beowulf, yes?” Li replied. “I’ve heard whispers of your misadventures as a Rogue Servant. Had I possessed the same freedom to move about at my own leisure, I’m sure our paths would have crossed at some point.”</p><p>“So you’re thinking the same thing I am.”</p><p>“Indeed. It is almost as if fate is playing some sort of game, making us meet like this. I’m not sure why, but I’m experiencing a flash of déjà vu when I see those grotesque scars etched upon your flesh.”</p><p>“You too? I’ve never seen you before, but there’s this nostalgia washing over me. Well, better not to worry about it when I can just figure it out while punching your face into the ground.”</p><p>“Ka ka ka!” Li laughed. “Those are some fighting words! Then how about we save our little spar for when we are certain that this incident has been corrected?”</p><p>Beowulf nodded. “You’re on.”</p><p>Ashwatthama heard their discussion and interjected, “Hey, don’t you fellas leave me out of this conversation! A battle to determine who’s the strongest isn’t complete unless I’m around to participate!”</p><p>“Interesting,” the Scandinavian hero grinned. “I still have to settle my duel with you anyway.”</p><p>“A rowdy piece of shit like you stands no chance against me!”</p><p>“Keep telling yourself that, chump.”</p><p>Li interrupted, “You’re both wrong. Brute strength and unbridled anger always pale in comparison to years of dedicated discipline. You’ll soon see for yourselves.”</p><p>Behind the three men, Elizabeth and X shrugged and grumbled together, “Boys will be boys…”</p>
<hr/><p>At the same time, Connla ran along the stretching sand dunes to reunite with Jack and Nursery. The young Caster hugged her friend and cried out, “You’re home! I was getting so worried, thinking you weren’t going to make it out of Uma!”</p><p>“I was worried about you too. I constantly thought that you guys might run into trouble after leaving Zhou. Did everything work out all right?” Connla asked.</p><p>“Yep!” Jack nodded. “There were some scary-looking animals that found us, but I dismembered them super easy!”</p><p>“Aside from that, a lot of people were upset about what happened,” Nursery explained to Connla, “so I told lots of stories to keep their minds off of things. I even went ahead and told them about your grandfather.”</p><p>“Is that right?” the Saber murmured, thinking about her earlier discussion with Parvati and Lucius.</p><p>“Once we made it here, I think everyone’s mood started to improve. Who couldn’t resist smiling when there’s so much shiny stuff to look at?”</p><p>“Well then, I suppose we should move on to the next step.”</p><p>“You’re right. What are we going to do now?”</p><p>“The living people must be tired after such a harrowing experience and dangerous trek through unknown territory. Let’s have them rest for the night while we Servants discuss what to do from here,” Connla said. She took off her wrist communicator and added, “I need to fill Lord Gilgamesh in on what has transpired as well. This might be a good chance for all of us to coordinate an attack against Aspidochelone.”</p><p>“Aspidochelone? What are you talking about?” Wu Zetian wondered.</p><p>“I have to concur. I have not heard of such a name before,” Nero said.</p><p>“Oh dear…” the Saber moaned pitifully. “That’s quite the explanation in itself…”</p><p>“Let me take care of it. You focus on contacting Gilgamesh,” Parvati assured, then said to the others, “Nursery Rhyme told me about the nature of this ‘world’ that we live in. It is, in fact, not some kind of dark planet that we are on, but the innards of a massive sea turtle.”</p><p>“Wha-?”</p><p>Any Servants who weren’t aware of this stared at the Pseudo-Servant with flabbergasted looks on their faces. Ashwatthama in particular dropped his jaw so low that an insect could easily fly inside. Even the unflappable Medusa appeared shaken, and she shakily asked her sovereign, “Are you sure about this? Do you not think she was lying to you?”</p><p>“I don’t think so. I’ve always felt that something felt particularly ‘off’ about this world – how it is always dark and damp, or how no sunlight can ever find its way here, or how there are sometimes quakes when there are no geological formations to be found. If we really are inside a Phantasmal, then it’s the most logical explanation for all of these peculiarities. On top of that, Connla, Nursery Rhyme and Jack the Ripper are all Servants who come from the outside world.”</p><p>“Pah! We don’t believe it! There is no such thing as an ‘outside world’!” Wu retorted. “They have quite the nerve to spew such terrible lies upon our face!”</p><p>Nursery stomped her foot and shouted, “We’re not lying! We really were swallowed by a huge monster!”</p><p>“Then prove it! Show us incontrovertible evidence of this world that you hail from!”</p><p>“Well… that is…”</p><p>“We don’t have solid evidence,” Connla replied calmly as she pushed a button on her transceiver. “But we do have testimony from the other Chaldean Servants. Feel free to ask Lord Gilgamesh or anyone else about the outside world - I’m sure they’ll gladly tell you all about it. This communicator also has video feed, so they can even show you around Okeanos.”</p><p>“You’re kidding…” Wu whimpered, suddenly feeling distraught. She was compelled to sit down as she moaned, “We can’t believe this… Played for like a fool by a mastermind… all while calling the innards of a monster our home… It is enough to retch all of our insides in one go…”</p><p>The transceiver eventually came through, and an enlarged holographic image of Gilgamesh projected itself on the wall. Connla bowed and said, “My apologies for the late report, sire.”</p><p><em>“Certainly took your time getting back to me, runt,”</em> the Sumerian king chastised her. His features immediately softened when he saw the crowd standing around her, and he said, <em>“Looks like you have been quite busy though. Did you go through the trouble of assembling so many mongrels as a form of apology?”</em></p><p>“Hm… I wouldn’t say that’s 100% accurate, but they are definitely Servants who have joined our cause against the Celtic god and his Fomorian army. They’re basically the remnants of those factions I told you about earlier.”</p><p>
  <em>“Remnants?”</em>
</p><p>She told him everything that had happened, and he raised his brow in curiosity. He smiled and muttered, <em>“I see. So the god turned against his own lambs and sentenced them to be slaughtered. Nary a hint of hesitation or guilt, either. Your presence there must have really riled our foe into taking action.”</em></p><p>“So much death and destruction… because I was here…” Connla whispered sadly.</p><p>
  <em>“Enough with the self-depreciation. Continue with your report, runt.”</em>
</p><p>“Y-Yes, sir. We are all currently in the treasury inside Aspidochelone’s stomach, and we need to figure out a way to get everyone out of here.”</p><p>
  <em>“Hmph. What an outrageous incident this has turned into. We have gone from rescuing you three to evacuating an entire island’s worth of people who are trapped many meters beneath the sea.”</em>
</p><p>“I’m so sorry for the trouble. But I really don’t want to abandon everyone just to save myself.”</p><p>
  <em>“Why are you apologizing? If anyone is to grovel in remorse before my feet, it is the one responsible for this mayhem. As the Pseudo-Servant of the Celtic God of Light, and as my prized retainer, it is your duty to ensure this foul mongrel faces the justice he deserves. I expect nothing more and nothing less than that out of you.”</em>
</p><p>“I totally agree. I want to live up to Grandfather’s expectations and punish this god,” Connla declared.</p><p>Just then, someone off to the side pushed Gilgamesh out of the way. A moment later, Cuchulainn Alter’s face appeared on the screen, and he barked, <em>“Are you out of your mind, kid!?”</em></p><p>“Father!”</p><p>
  <em>“You are <strong>not</strong> fighting that bastard! I absolutely forbid it!”</em>
</p><p>“Why? Grandfather gave me his powers for that reason, so-“</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t give a shit about that! You listen to me good! You’re going to stay put and wait for me to retrieve you! If my old man really did change your Spirit Origin, then as his son, I should be able to take those powers for myself and fight the enemy! There’s no need to risk yourself like this!”</em>
</p><p>“Well… You do have a point… But how are you going to ‘retrieve’ me in the first place? There has to be a way to make Aspidochelone come to the surface, and we would need a large enough exit to get everyone out. Only then would it be safe to fight the god at full power.”</p><p><em>“Don’t worry about that,”</em> Cuchulainn confidently grinned. <em>“We haven’t been sitting around twiddling our thumbs. We all went around Okeanos and destroyed the Fomorian idols scattered across the islands. With nothing giving that monster energy from the outside, it will be forced to come back up. That’s when we’ll make our move.”</em></p><p>“Your move? Do you have a plan in mind?”</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah. First of all, we’re going to-“</em>
</p><p>Without warning, the entire ground vibrated violently. From Gilgamesh and Cuchulainn’s perspective, the video feed thrashed about everywhere before the transceiver landed on its side. They heard multiple cries of shock and astonishment coming from the large crowd of survivors in the distance. Cuchulainn smashed his hand on the panel and demanded, <em>“What happened!?”</em></p><p>“Ungh…” Connla groaned, got on her hands and knees, and turned the camera back upright. “Some kind of massive earthquake hit us all of a sudden. But since we’re not on solid ground…”</p><p>
  <em>“Aspidochelone is moving somewhere.”</em>
</p><p>“I think so too, but I have no idea what’s happening outside. Can Chaldea pool its resources into tracking the Phantasmal?”</p><p><em>“Already on it!”</em> Da Vinci replied. She had been listening to the conversation and already told the technicians to follow Aspidochelone’s magical energy output. After analyzing the readings for a minute, her eyes widened in horror as she exclaimed, <em>“I knew it! Its signature is ascending from Okeanos’ depths! It’s rising to the surface!”</em></p><p>Gilgamesh rapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, then muttered, <em>“Impudent fool. Once it shows itself, it will soon come to understand that it is living on borrowed time.”</em></p><p><em>“But the other Chaldean Servants haven’t returned from their expeditions yet!”</em> Roman exclaimed. <em>“We won’t be ready to enact our plan until they’re all assembled!”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Quit your pathetic howling, mongrel. A true strategist knows when to implement improvisation tactics when needed. If the other Servants cannot fight on land, then they can make do with their sailing vessels. All I have to do is relay the coordinates to them, then immediately depart to take my own position.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I guess so. Then the coordinates are…”</em>
</p><p>As Roman and Gilgamesh spoke with each other, Cuchulainn snapped at Connla, <em>“You stay calm and make sure no one does anything stupid until we get there! That means double for you, kid! Do NOT go and fight that god on your own, you hear me!?”</em></p><p>“I-I can’t make any promises,” she uttered. “Who knows what could happen in the meantime?”</p><p>As she said that, she heard a woman’s bloodcurdling scream and looked over. Way over at the entrance to Aspidochelone’s esophagus, a new horde of Fomorians swarmed towards the stricken humans who had been sleeping until now. The other Servants were already advancing on the monsters and either slaying them or guiding the absolutely frantic citizens elsewhere.</p><p>“That’s the path back to the mouth… Why would they be showing up there?” she wondered, then thought, <em>I don’t recall seeing any stone idols back when Jack, Nursery and I were exploring that region.</em></p><p>Parvati ran up to her and kneeled over her before asking, “Are you okay?”</p><p>“Mm. I’ve told everyone in Chaldea what’s happening. How are things over there?”</p><p>“The others have the situation under control, but no one has any idea why the Fomorians have spawned from there.”</p><p>“There has to be a statue somewhere in that area. Do you have any ideas, Lady Parvati?”</p><p>“I don’t know if this is much, but I’ve been picking up some sort of faint signature further down that particular tunnel.”</p><p>“What sort of signature?”</p><p>“Even though it’s far away, it’s exuding an exceptionally higher level of Divinity compared to the other idols.”</p><p>Connla rested her hand on her chest, then silently prayed, <em>Is she right, Grandfather? Can you show me the way somehow?</em></p><p>After a few seconds of deep concentration, she felt a peculiar heartbeat-like throbbing resonating within her soul. She blocked out all of the noise and bedlam surrounding her to focus on this sensation. It grew stronger and stronger with each passing moment, and she visualized Aspidochelone’s internal structure to determine where it could be originating from.</p><p>“… Of course!” she cried out. “There’s still one place we haven’t checked!”</p><p>“Really!? Where!?” Parvati yelped.</p><p>“The brain!”</p>
<hr/><p>Cuchulainn heard Connla and Parvati’s discussion, and his chest seized with total fear. His eyes widened as he shouted, “Wha-!?”</p><p>“Oh,” Gilgamesh murmured. “Not bad, runt. I thought I would have to be the one to scry for the enemy god’s location inside that behemoth. Giving your king one less chore to deal with is most noteworthy. I’ll have to make a mental note to reward you with a piece of candy for your effort later.”</p><p><em>“Um, candy aside, this is a major discovery!”</em> Connla replied. <em>“While everyone from Chaldea is dealing with Aspidochelone, I can go and kill the mastermind at the same time!”</em></p><p>“Well, regardless of your father’s pleas, I declare that you may do as you please. It is your life to jeopardize, after all. My only order to you is to make it back alive.”</p><p>
  <em>“I understand. None of this would have happened had I not shown up. Because I’m a Celtic Servant, the enemy god toppled every civilization here to try and be rid of me before I could reveal the truth. I think it’s the least I can do for all of the pain and suffering these people have had to endure.”</em>
</p><p>“Then do you know whom you are up against?”</p><p>
  <em>“I’m not entirely sure, but I have Grandfather with me for support. I’m sure I’ll find out sooner or later. Please take care of the rest!”</em>
</p><p>“W-Wait!” Cuchulainn growled, but the feed quickly cut out as Connla ended the call. He shoved Gilgamesh off of him and barged for the front entrance while roaring, <strong><em>“THAT IDIOT!”</em></strong></p>
<hr/><p>Just as Connla deduced, the final and grandest Fomorian idol of them all was located deep within Aspidochelone’s cranium. The beast’s skull was actually hollow, its original brain long since discarded and replaced with the idol’s incredible magical output. Countless black veins stretched for miles within the mixed pea-green and navy blue space, all congregating upon the giant statue. Pure mana coursed through the thin blood vessels.</p><p>However, the man who stood before the idol could tell that there wasn’t much energy left to sustain his bestial sailing vessel. Soon, the Phantasmal would run out of air and return to the surface of Okeanos. The many ‘heroes’ that he sensed both from inside the monster and throughout the islands were luring it into an obvious trap, yet the god’s control over the beast had gradually faded each time the other stone statues were destroyed. He could no longer command Aspidochelone to surface elsewhere. All he could do was abandon it the same way he did to the factions that sustained his existence through countless years of sacrifice.</p><p>
  <em>This is inevitable. Though it was sooner than I expected, the Phantasmal’s time has come for it to be my greatest sacrifice.</em>
</p><p>He closed his empty black eyes. No sign of remorse or pity could be seen on his stoic face.</p><p>
  <em>With the destruction that is soon to follow, I can return to the darkest corners of human history and try again. How long I must wait is indeterminate, but I am patient. The only problem is silencing the God of Light. Even in the hadal depths of the ocean, I cannot escape his radiance.</em>
</p><p>The god opened his eyes again, then flexed his fingers and curled them into a fist. He murmured only a single phrase under his breath:</p><p><em>“DiDòmhnaich Crum Dubh, plaoisgidh mi an t-ugh</em>.” †</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE:</p><p>† - “Crooked black Sunday, I’ll shell the egg.” The origin of this phrase is unknown.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Unveiling the Mastermind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>24: Unveiling the Mastermind</strong>
</p><p>“Damn it! Why won’t these things just get lost already!?” Elizabeth cried out as she jabbed her lance through a Fomorian’s neck.</p><p>“We must’ve really pissed off the big guy now!” Ashwatthama exclaimed, then smashed another fiend to death with his chakram. “Fine by me, though! I say bring it on!”</p><p>“No, <em>don’t</em> bring it on, you obstinate fool! I’m already tired from having to fight Carmilla and protecting everyone in Zhou!”</p><p>“Hm,” Li Shuwen muttered in disappointment, getting up after killing a monster of his own. “I suppose it was too much to ask of mere pawns to offer a challenge for me. Even so, their numbers are nothing to scoff at.”</p><p>“Gah! In layman’s vernacular, this absolutely bites!” Wu Zetian complained. She summoned several of her Kuli and commanded them to gang up on a couple of advancing Fomorians. The irate empress couldn’t sustain her familiars for very long though, so she dismissed them and yelled, “What are we supposed to do!? The villain still lurks in the shadows and laughs at us, treating us like mere toys for their amusement! It is enough to make our blood boil!”</p><p>One of the larger creatures bounded for her, but was knocked to the ground courtesy of a diving kick from Medusa. She landed near Wu and muttered, “There must be a way to pinpoint their location. If we truly are inside a Phantasmal, then the number of places they can hide in should be limited.”</p><p>“Everyone!” the Servants heard Connla calling out for them. She and Parvati hurried over to them, and the Saber exclaimed, “They’re coming from the cranial region! We still haven’t checked Aspidochelone’s brain yet!”</p><p>Nursery widened her eyes. “Are you sure?”</p><p>“Positive! Grandfather showed me where the last stone idol is located!”</p><p>“Fwa ha ha ha!” Lucius laughed heartily. “Leave it to my namesake god to shine a path to our inevitable victory! Indeed, a Phantasmal’s brain would be the easiest spot for a god to control it from within!”</p><p>“All we have to do is clear a path through the vanguard and go through the esophagus,” Connla explained. “Grandfather will tell me where to go from there, but I’m sure there will be heavy defenses in place. There’s no way I can go in alone like this.”</p><p>“Very well!” Nero declared. “It is imperative that we split our forces in half! The assault team will follow Connla through to the cranial region, while the defense team will stay here and protect the citizens from any further attacks! We must think carefully of who to dispatch and who to leave behind!”</p><p>“Pah! She’s a member of my Lugh Faction, so it’s only natural that I stay with my subordinates and issue orders to them!” Lucius scoffed. “Beowulf and Heroine X are coming with me as well, of course!”</p><p>“Not going to ask for our opinions, huh? Well, fine with me. I would have come along anyway,” Beowulf smirked.</p><p>X became angry and barked, “Can’t be helped then! I’m still upset over losing my spaceship, and I need to cut loose on some Sabers to feel better!”</p><p>“Wherever Connla goes, we will go too!” Jack exclaimed as she and Nursery joined their friend’s side. “I’ll dismember anyone who gets in our way!”</p><p>“Umu! Such spirit! I’m feeling particularly fired up!” Nero smiled. “Alas, I shall stay here and ensure everyone’s safety!”</p><p>Parvati looked over at Ashwatthama and Medusa, then said, “We should do the same too. Everyone must be beyond despair at this point, so I wish to calm them down.”</p><p>“Understood!” Ashwatthama acknowledged. “No freak of nature will lay a finger on them as long as I’m around!”</p><p>“Then I will stand guard for Lady Parvati,” Medusa said.</p><p>Wu Zetian exclaimed, “Although we wish to personally see this villain face justice, we are not so crass as to jump head-first into the lion’s mouth inside a swarming killer bee hive! We shall remain here and send you our best wishes! Elizabeth! Li Shuwen! You shall stay here and be my escorts!”</p><p>“Sorry, but I’ll have to decline,” Li promptly dismissed her and walked over to the assault team. “I am much too excited to ignore this grand opportunity. You have plenty of Servants to guard this place as it is. Instead of letting my skills go to waste here, I think they would greatly benefit this group’s upcoming battle.”</p><p>“Is that so? Well, can’t be helped. Even when we employed you, you made it abundantly clear that you only sought to fight opponents who attempted to invade Zhou. With our nation no longer around, you are essentially a free man.”</p><p>“I’m glad to see you understand.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about us,” Elizabeth told him. “If needed, I’ll cheer everyone up with a song or two. You get in there and bust plenty of heads, got it!?”</p><p>“Certainly!”</p><p>Connla inspected both teams’ rosters, then asked, “Are we ready to go?”</p><p>“Whenever you are,” Lucius said.</p><p>“Then let’s be off!”</p><p>Nero bellowed, “Godspeed, fellow heroes! Exercise extreme caution, and come back to us safely, you hear!?”</p><p>“We won’t let you down, Emperor Nero!”</p><p>With that, Connla took the lead for the assault team, and they barged through the cavern leading to Aspidochelone’s throat.</p>
<hr/><p>Within the vast ocean located in the center of Okeanos’ scattered islands, the clear blue waters soon turned dark as a monstrous figure slowly but surely ascended from the depths. The ocean ebbed unnaturally like a rising dome, then broke into massive waves.</p><p>Aspidochelone announced its return with a deafening, almost alien-like howl that even parted the clouds.</p><p>Surrounding the beast were four different watercrafts; three jet skis and a standard motor boat. Boudica commandeered one of the jet skis while Emiya rode along with her. The second jet ski was being piloted by Jing Ke, with Cuchulainn Prototype accompanying her. Mata Hari drove the third one along with Nightingale. In the motor boat were Nitocris and Ozymandias, with the former steering the craft.</p><p>“It comes at last!” Ozymandias declared, then laughed jovially. “Very good! At least you have the decency to put on a spectacular entrance, Phantasmal!”</p><p>“By Horus, it’s <em>huge!</em>” Nitocris cried out. “Does Gilgamesh seriously think we can take on such a monstrosity with so few forces!?”</p><p>“Don’t panic. For its tremendous girth, it is naught more than a flailing babe before the valor and might of us Heroic Spirits! As we are tasked with acting as the vanguard, we should do the appropriate thing and demonstrate our full prowess before this abomination!”</p><p>“O-Of course! Your unfaltering courage is always an inspiration, my lord!”</p><p>Emiya heard the Pharaoh’s boasting on the communicator and muttered, “You say that, but I’m sure you’re just going to take it easy while the rest of us do the dirty work. Then you’ll swoop in and land the decisive blow so you can take all the credit.”</p><p>“Hmph! Save such vacuous assumptions for another time!” Ozymandias retorted. “I do not intend to deviate from the plan that Chaldea’s staff dedicated countless hours for! My ordained task is to concentrate on the rear left leg! The rest of you get to your positions posthaste!”</p><p>“Roger. We’ve got the front left leg,” the Archer coolly replied, then projected his bow and numerous thin Caladbolgs to use as arrows. As Boudica steered the jet ski in a wide curve, Emiya stood tall behind her and fired dozens of shots one at a time. Each arrow found their mark, and the imitation Caladbolgs exploded in flashes of blue light.</p><p>Jing Ke drove her jet ski closer to Aspidochelone’s front right leg, and Cuchulainn squatted while holding Gae Bolg. He yelped when a rogue wave nearly made him fall off, then he yelled at her, “Hey, drive more carefully! I need you to be as steady as possible!”</p><p>“Give me a break! I’m having a hard enough time as it is!” Jing Ke snapped.</p><p>“Just my luck to be saddled with the drunk driver!”</p><p>“Don’t underestimate me! I may like booze, but I wouldn’t dare do any drinking when I’m on the job!”</p><p>“Right, whatever! Just get me in as close as you can!”</p><p>She turned the watercraft toward the Phantasmal and barreled forth. Once Cuchulainn felt he was ready, he leapt off with all his might and raised Gae Bolg in a stabbing motion. He called out, “Pierce them! Gut them! Finish them off! <strong><em>Gae Bolg!</em></strong>”</p><p>He activated the spear’s true power and stabbed through the leg as far as he could go. He reached a particularly deep vein that exploded with blood all around him, incapacitating the gigantic limb. Way over at the rear right leg, Mata Hari saw the attack and exclaimed to Nightingale, “He got it! Now’s your chance!”</p><p>“Understood. Commencing emergency excision procedure,” the nurse replied, already wearing a medical mask and adjusting a pair of latex gloves on her hands. Mata Hari brought Nightingale close to the leg, and the Berserker made a high leap toward it. Instead of wielding traditional medical tools, she summoned a huge chainsaw in her hands and carved into the flailing limb. Although the blade wasn’t large enough to sever it completely, it certainly made through half of the muscle and flesh, rendering it near useless.</p><p>Mata Hari watched the carnage unfold before her, then winced and thought, <em>Good grief. Just where did she hide such a massive weapon? Or rather, why would she need something like that in the first place?</em></p><p>The dancer shrugged to herself.</p><p>
  <em>Oh well. I’ve seen her use guns and bundled Stielhandgranates before. She even threw a bed at an enemy one time before. If anyone can improvise with their weapons of choice, it’s the Angel of Crimea.</em>
</p><p>Back at the rear left leg, Nitocris didn’t need to steer the motor boat close to Aspidochelone like the others did. In battle, Ozymandias excelled at fighting from a distance, and he certainly wasn’t going to change that strategy now. He chuckled mirthfully, then raised his crooked staff and commanded a ray of pure concentrated sunlight to rip through the water like a laser. Water splashed around the light, followed by more gushes of blood as it made contact with the leg. Ozymandias continued summoning more bands of light to assail the limb. If he couldn’t cut it off outright, he could at least cut through to the bone.</p><p>As the Pharaoh continued his attack, he thought, <em>All of us have been accounted for, save Cuchulainn Alter. I hope his foolhardiness will not cause him to be caught within our barrage. I certainly cannot be held liable if he winds up being decimated by my boundless light!</em></p>
<hr/><p>Several dozen feet below the water’s surface, Cuchulainn Alter swam alongside Aspdiochelone. After finding out what Connla intended to do, he lost his grip on rationality and dove off the nearest cliff to personally challenge the Phantasmal underwater. He wasn’t entirely sure where it was going to surface from at first, but once he felt the faint ripples churn the water, he was getting a clearer idea of where it was. Now he was literally neck-to-neck with the rising beast, and more than ready to unleash carnage on his gigantic foe.</p><p>The monster spotted Cuchulainn however and shifted its eyes in his direction. Once he saw it open its huge jaw and conjure a whirlpool around its mouth, the Berserker snarled in shock and immediately swam aside. He just barely managed to dodge the submarine tornado before it could potentially blow him away. He tumbled about uncontrollably, then regained his momentum and concentrated on summoning his Noble Phantasm.</p><p>The familiar dark haze surrounded him, then he broke through. He was once again encased in his Curruid Coinchenn armor and talons, which helped weigh him down a bit so he wouldn’t be shot back by another whirlpool aimed for him. He ignored the watery chaos and blasted forth with the ferocity of a starving wolf.</p><p>
  <em>TAKE THIS!</em>
</p><p>With a singular swipe of his right-handed claws, he tore through Aspidochelone’s neck so deep that it tore apart its carotid artery. An insane amount of blood gushed out of the wound and turned the water around him bright red. The surprised Phantasmal’s cry was deafening enough to shake the heavens themselves, yet it stubbornly refused to yield. It raised its leg and swiped at Cuchulainn. He wasn’t prepared for this, so he took the full brunt of the blow and rocketed hundreds of meters back until he slammed his back against a rock wall. His Noble Phantasm shattered into pieces, and blood escaped from his throat.</p><p>
  <em>Shit…!</em>
</p><p>He floated there, limp and exhausted from the attack. He struggled to move his body again, even having to pop some bones back into place. As he recovered, he glared at Aspidochelone and snarled ominously. Although it was quickly losing an absurd amount blood, it would have to take an entire day for the beast to die of exsanguination alone. Cuchulainn didn’t have that kind of patience. He absolutely wanted to get inside its mouth and meet up with the girls, but it wasn’t giving him any opportunities. He was a little confused as to why it would be eager to swallow the child Servants earlier, yet refuse him entry now. That was when a thought crossed his mind:</p><p>
  <em>Damn you, Fomorian god. You’re trying to keep me separated from the kid, aren’t you?</em>
</p><p>That had to be the only explanation, and it outright pissed him off. He had to think of something else. If he couldn’t enter through the mouth, then he’d just make an entrance of his own. With that plan in mind, Cuchulainn dove back under and swam back towards the battlefield.</p>
<hr/><p>Several hundred meters above the battle site, a bizarre flying contraption hovered over Aspidochelone. The beast violently thrashed about as it was attacked from four fronts, causing splashed water to rain down on the two men who were aboard the craft. They paid it no mind as they watched the action going on below. Seated in the throne-like seat was Gilgamesh, who bore his usual bemused smile and rested his cheek upon his propped hand, as if languidly observing a movie.</p><p>“So this is the rot that had the audacity to ruin my summer sojourn,” he muttered sourly. “Such filth. Garbage like you does not deserve to even be pricked by one of my weapons.”</p><p>“Now, now, let’s keep a cool head,” Kintoki grinned. He stood at the edge of the craft’s nose and stared down at the gigantic sea turtle. He tapped his heavy axe against his shoulder and assured, “Blasting that thing out of the water is my job anyway. You just sit back and watch the show, Boss.”</p><p>“That I will. Be sure not to disappoint me, Oni Slayer. I expect nothing less but the most brilliant display of Heaven’s wrath.”</p><p>“You got it! One golden thunderclap to the face, coming right up!”</p><p>Aspidochelone heard Kintoki’s taunt and unleashed another massive roar at the hovering vehicle, throwing it off-kilter. The Berserker’s blood boiled with excitement, and he leapt off the craft to plummet upon the Phantasmal’s exposed neck. He raised his weapon, and vicious sparks of yellow electricity cracked around it and his entire body.</p><p>“I may be a pretty chill guy, but I’m beyond pissed at this point! The moment you swallowed those poor kids is the moment you made an enemy of Sakata Kintoki!” he shouted, and his rage took over. <em>“I’ll smash you to bits and make you cough those girls up if it’s the last thing I do!</em>”</p><p>He fell faster and faster until he resembled a streak of lightning cracking through the sky, and he called out the name of his Noble Phantasm:</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“GOLDEN SPAAA~AAA~AAARK!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Before Aspidochelone could do anything, an indescribable pain flared around the back of its neck and coursed through its entire nervous system. It tried to scream and flounder to safety, but all of its nerves were paralyzed. It couldn’t even so much as twitch its arms or legs as it lost its energy and collapsed upon the beach, helpless as could be.</p><p>Back on the ground, Boudica cheered, “Yes! He got it!”</p><p>Emiya said to Da Vinci on the communicator, “Our distraction plan was a success. Kintoki managed to paralyze Aspidochelone.”</p><p><em>“Good work, everyone!”</em> the inventor replied. <em>“Clear out of there as fast as you can! Gilgamesh will take care of the rest!”</em></p><p>“Roger.”</p><p>“Hey, hey, don’t you think this is a bit overkill?” Cuchulainn Prototype wondered.</p><p>“No such thing as overkill when we’re dealing with a monster the size of an island,” Jing Ke smirked.</p><p>“She’s right,” Mata Hari agreed. “It might be paralyzed, but it isn’t dead. If we want to retrieve the girls safely, we need to make sure it won’t be a threat to us any longer. Gil’s the only one among us who can pull it off.”</p><p>“Even I have to admit that an excision of this caliber is beyond my capabilities,” Nightingale said.</p><p>Emiya frowned, “I’m surprised he agreed to use his Noble Phantasm. He usually reserves it for Calamity-class disasters like Beasts or extremely powerful Servants like Heracles. This Phantasmal may be dangerous, but I didn’t think it would be worth the likes of his strongest attack.”</p><p>“Hm… Well, this whole strategy <em>was</em> his idea. Ever since the kids disappeared, he has been in a rather foul mood lately. Perhaps this is his way of letting out some steam.”</p><p>Ozymandias heard this and smiled quietly. Unlike the others, he knew precisely why Gilgamesh had been so upset the entire time. Nitocris noticed her liege’s mirth and wondered, “Is something the matter, my lord?”</p><p>“No need to be concerned. Merely a humorous thought I had,” he said.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p>
<hr/><p>“Uwah!?” Connla yelped as she suddenly lost her balance and tripped. The other assault team Servants likewise stumbled as the entire cavern around them shook uncontrollably.</p><p>“What’s going on!?” Jack squealed.</p><p>“Ungh… I don’t know. All I can say is that things are getting serious now,” Beowulf grunted.</p><p>Connla got back up, then looked around for the trail of light she had been following. She found it shining high above her, but it veered directly through what looked to be a thick wall of muscle and fat. She approached it and scanned the area, then told the others, “Looks like we need to break through here.”</p><p>“Are you certain? Even if we used all of our Noble Phantasms at once, I sincerely doubt we’d be able to puncture through such an obstacle,” Lucius said.</p><p>“But this has to lead out of the esophagus and further into the cranium. That means we have to be in Aspidochelone’s upper throat by now.”</p><p>“So that other tunnel you said was a dead end…”</p><p>“Must have led to the lungs.”</p><p>“Hm. Though I cannot witness Lugh’s guidance for myself, I will not disrespect the advice of his granddaughter. That means our objective is clear – to find a way through this wall and advance to the enemy’s lair!”</p><p>Li Shuwen raised his spear before him and muttered in a warning tone, “That’s going to be easier said than done, my good Procurator.”</p><p>As he said this, several hundred blobs of fibrous flesh congealed and formed into humanoid monsters. Nursery Rhyme raised her hands and hurled a bunch of fireballs at the lumps of tissue, incinerating some of them. However, more took their place and materialized as full-fledged Fomorians. She stepped back and retched, “Oh, gross! Are these things being made out of Mr. Aspid’s flesh itself!?”</p><p>“Not like there’s any other material they can use!” Beowulf snarled, then barged into the fray and swiped his swords at some of the larger monsters to cleave them into pieces. Behind him, Heroine X leapt high and spun into the air before cleaving Secretcalibur through a line of unformed fiends. A malformed hand sprung out of a pulsating tumor and grabbed her ankle, then lifted her upside-down. Li immediately swiped his lance at the limb, dismembering it and freeing her. He then blocked an oncoming giant’s fist and leapt back, giving X enough space to slash at the Fomorian’s stomach.</p><p>Jack and Nursery stuck together, with the Assassin using her dark mist abilities to cloud their immediate surroundings. She appeared as an imperceptible streak of darkness that ripped and tore through the blobs of flesh. Nursery focused on throwing elemental spells at the more nimble monsters so they couldn’t capture Jack. A creature with nothing but its lower body intact emerged from a tumor and ran straight for Nursery. She grit her teeth and charged in to punch its lower abdomen, breaking through to its stomach. She then let loose another fire spell, causing it to explode into bits of tissue.</p><p>Meanwhile, Lucius and Connla ran side-by-side toward the largest creature that managed to complete its transformation. They hopped simultaneously over its hand, then swiped their swords down upon its shoulders to sever its muscular arms. It howled in pain, yet refused to yield and glared at them as they landed. Its flesh wriggled and writhed with life of its own until a new pair of arms stretched out of its shoulders.</p><p>“Stubborn piece of work, aren’t you?” Lucius scoffed.</p><p>Connla stepped back in astonishment as the giant attempted to punch her flat into the ground. Lucius got between them and blocked by using Florent as a shield. She looked around and saw that everyone else was too busy fighting against the Fomorians to even consider destroying the wall. She had to do something drastic, and it had to happen <em>now</em>. She ran off in the other direction, and the Roman shouted at her, “What are you doing!?”</p><p>Connla stepped on a pulsing tumor and leapt high above the horde, then summoned Lugh’s Halo and rammed both it and herself against the thick wall. Flames blasted everywhere around her, but for all of her struggling, the barrier refused to yield for her.</p><p>“Ghhh!” she snarled. The heat slowly singed her skin, and copious amounts of sweat poured around her face. Despite this, she wasn’t sure if her power would be enough.</p><p>
  <em>Grandfather… I can’t let him down… I have to do this somehow! Even if it kills me, I have to try my best!</em>
</p><p>That was when her hands and wrists shone a soft white light. Some kind of magical barrier was placed around them, protecting them from the scorching heat. Her frantic desperation soothed to a placid calm. Then she heard an unknown man’s voice echo in her mind:</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t worry. I’m always here to help.”</em>
</p><p>“Who-?”</p><p>
  <em>“So he’s just beyond here, hm? A measly gate like this should be no trouble for me.”</em>
</p><p>Then to everyone’s shock, Lugh’s Halo flared so brilliantly that anyone in the near vicinity had to cover their eyes and bid a hasty retreat. Any monsters caught directly in the light were instantly vaporized into ashes. Connla squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth, bracing herself for the sudden rush of power blasting around her. She wasn’t sure what was going on around her anymore. Then she thought she felt her body shift on its own a little. Her arms and legs grew longer, her hair flowed out of the bun she had been keeping it in until now and extended to knee’s length, and she swore she felt a pair of heavy ‘somethings’ growing on her chest.</p><p>“W-What’s going on?” she uttered in a strangely more mature voice.</p><p><em>“Stay calm,”</em> the mysterious man assured. <em>“Your fragile child form is not able to handle the full extent of my power. Now that it is the apex of Lughnasadh and I have received your most sincere prayers, I am able to transform your Spirit Origin and Ascend you into a form capable of handling it.”</em></p><p>“An Ascension…?”</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t be frightened. Though this form may be foreign to you, you will adjust to it in no time at all.”</em>
</p><p>“To fight the enemy god? But I still don’t know who it is. If I can’t figure out their True Name, then I can’t fight as effectively.”</p><p>
  <em>“How true. Then I have but only one piece of advice; remember the folklore behind the Lughnasadh festival.”</em>
</p><p>Connla’s mind blanked out as foreign images flooded her vision. There were two men she had never seen before, standing on opposing sides within a vast wheat field. The grains grew brilliantly around one man, while they withered and died around the other. They got into martial arts combat stances, then rushed at each other. She wouldn’t get to see the fight itself, but the reason for their battle became incredibly clear to her.</p><p>“I see. So that’s who my opponent is,” she murmured.</p><p>
  <em>“That’s right. You and I need to protect the harvest from falling into his hands.”</em>
</p><p>“Mm. Let’s settle this, once and for all.”</p>
<hr/><p>The other assault team Servants had to cover their eyes to protect themselves from the searing light that Lugh’s Halo generated around them. Most of the Fomorian horde were left defenseless against the flames, and they melted into piles of fat and skin. When the conflagration died down, the Servants saw that there was now a new path leading towards somewhere unfamiliar. Only then did they realize that Lugh’s Halo had literally melted the thick layers of skin. Acrid plumes of smoke tickled their nostrils, and the flesh was either singed black or flaring bright from leftover embers. They couldn’t find Connla anywhere, so they assumed that she had gone on ahead by herself.</p><p>“By Jove…” Lucius gasped, absolutely alarmed by what he was seeing. “She frickin’ went and did it!”</p><p>“Now’s our chance! Let’s go after her!” Heroine X shouted.</p><p>Li didn’t need to be told this, as he was already on his way through the entrance. The others followed after him for a good hundred meters. Their advance remained unimpeded until Nursery noticed some layers of muscle writhing beneath the ashes. Before she could do anything, a grotesque string of flesh blasted out and pinned her against the opposite wall.</p><p>“Nursery!” Jack screamed and quickly carved through to free her friend.</p><p>Beowulf, X, and Lucius likewise had to dodge similar large fibers that shot for them. Li made the most progress ahead of them, but had to stop when a thick net of tissue blocked the path. He cursed to himself and muttered, “Looks like the Phantasmal has the ability to heal its wounds. Or perhaps it is due to the god that controls it.”</p><p>“Son of a bitch! Just when we’re so close!” Beowulf shouted and chopped some fibers into pieces, then made his swords disappear so he could use his bare fists to fight against the new wall being erected. He ripped some of the weaker strings into pieces, but they were replaced quicker than he could take them down. To make things worse, more tumors began to form around the Servants, which meant they would have to deal with a new wave of Fomorians very shortly.</p><p>“This is bad…” Lucius widened his eyes in unprecedented horror. This was perhaps the worst case scenario for him; being unable to help Connla while she challenged the enemy god alone. Florent seemed to respond to his frustration, and flower petals swirled around him in a vicious storm.</p><p>
  <em>Connla! Whatever you do, don’t die before I have my turn with that bastard!</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Inside Aspidochelone’s brain, the lone figure who stood before the Fomorian idol gazed upon the effigy with nary an expression on his blank face. He knew exactly what all of the Servants were doing, both from the outside and the inside – the statue was directly connected to the Phantasmal’s ocular nerves, so he could see what was happening in Okeanos. As far as keeping track of everyone trapped inside the monster, he utilized its entire nervous system and connected his mind with it, turning any signals he picked up into images that flashed in his vision. Due to this, he could see Nero and her team fighting against some Fomorians he had sent their way, while he commanded Aspidochelone’s flesh to generate a new wall to block the assault team.</p><p>However, he couldn’t find Connla anywhere. She was the only Servant who escaped his all-encompassing lines of sight, and it irked him a little. The light that emanated from Lugh’s Halo had been so intense that he needed to cut the connection to protect his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he should leave this morbid sanctuary and look for her, or if he would sense her presence eventually.</p><p>Luckily for him, he wouldn’t have to worry about her for much longer.</p><p>“So, it <em>was</em> you after all.”</p><p>An unfamiliar woman’s stern voice echoed throughout the chamber. At first, the man barely reacted to the arrival of this sudden guest. He quietly shifted his eyes toward the sound and listened to what she had to say.</p><p>“A gigantic sea monster that swallows treasures and entire societies whole… Clans that fight each other for resources… Sacrificing Servants and citizens to generate more resources… More societies are swallowed whole, propagating the process even further… I thought it was strange that an entire society that revolved around so much sacrifice could thrive for so long. All this time, I kept asking myself, ‘Who would it benefit in the end? What could anyone take away from such a barbaric way of life?’ After much musing, there was only one conclusion I could come to.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“First of all, let’s begin with Aspidochelone. My suspicions began the moment I discovered the massive piles of treasure scattered within these caverns. How could a monster manage to devour such priceless artifacts when I am told repeatedly that it is a mindless creature with no thought other than finding its next meal? Yet the items it has consumed, and the places it ventured to consume them, were much too accurate for this to be naught more than an uncontrolled rampage.</p><p>“After learning about Aspidochelone’s nature some more, I decided to turn my thinking around. What if, instead of the beast itself, there was some compelling force controlling it from inside to heed their bidding? In other words, the Phantasmal is actually a vehicle for someone to attack various treasure storehouses and devour the goods, thereby making them ‘lost’ treasures to the world at large. Such missing artifacts would pique anyone’s curiosity, am I wrong? Interestingly enough, some of the humans who dwell within the clans are pirates and seafarers. I don’t think I need to deduce how they wound up here.”</p><p>The man didn’t say anything to refute her argument.</p><p>“That alone would have been simple enough,” the lady continued, “but then I became increasingly baffled as I discovered the factions and their relentless pursuit of each other’s resources and treasures. If someone really was controlling Aspidochelone to hoard the world’s treasures, did they know about these civil wars going on? I was sure they did, or else there wouldn’t have been much point in the beast consuming humans and Servants without actually killing them. In other words, this whole clan-styled society was intentionally designed for the culprit’s own purposes.</p><p>“Now, logic would dictate the next question; what for? What sort of person would derive anything from a society centered around sacrifice?”</p><p>“And that question led you to me,” the man murmured.</p><p>“Somewhat. Questioning Aspidochelone’s nature was only half of the puzzle. The other half came when I wondered why my Spirit Origin was changed to make me a Saber-class Servant. A goddess like Parvati could easily discern what had transpired, and we came to only one conclusion. I was transformed, by the Celtic god of the sun, a commander of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the father of Cuchulainn, and my paternal grandfather – Lugh.”</p><p>The man slightly turned his head toward the woman as she approached the nearest torches and stood next to them. Just hearing the name ‘Lugh’ seemed to stir some kind of sensation within the otherwise emotionless fellow. As he gazed upon the visitor, he could feel the Celtic god’s aura radiating from her, and it made his flesh shiver on its own volition.</p><p>Indeed, the lady was none other than Connla. However, she was not here as the seven-year old child soldier. She appeared as a gorgeous young woman in her late teens or early 20s, with an attractive physique that wasn’t much different than Scathach’s. She kept her usual ponytail, but the length was much longer than before, now reaching to around the back of her knees. Her skin was clean and smooth – the scar marks she was always so deathly embarrassed about remained missing.</p><p>She wore a sensational swimsuit consisting of a mismatched pair of bikinis wrapping around her torso asymmetrically. The lower-layered bikini was white and covered her left breast and waist. The upper-layered bikini was in multiple shades of mint green, pale lavender and rose pink, which hugged her right breast and tied into several bows on her left waist. Connla also wore some bracelets on her wrist, an anklet, a golden pendant around her slender neck, and her characteristic ring on her right thumb.</p><p>The expressionless man raised an eyebrow and wondered, “How can you be here as an adult when it is impossible for you to mature beyond the age when you died?”</p><p>“I’m sure you’re familiar with the concept of Ascension, right? Breaking through the barrier was no easy feat. To that end, I prayed for Grandfather’s help with all my heart, and he gave me one last blessing. Of course, this is just a temporary thing until I dispatch of you, Mr. Mastermind.”</p><p>“So by discovering which god altered your Spirit Origin, you were able to figure out who I was?”</p><p>“More like Grandfather told me who you were as I Ascended to this form. Even so, I had a nagging suspicion this whole time. This is an era where the gods have vanished from the world, yet there are some gods which still remain within humanity’s hearts to explain certain mysteries like death, dreams, and paranormal phenomena. If there is no obvious solution to those mysteries, then they are attributed to the divine as a sort of placeholder until mankind can find the answer. Due to that lingering attachment, some people still believe in solar deities like my grandfather.</p><p>“Coupled with it currently being the Lughnasadh <em>sabbat</em>, this allowed his presence to temporarily manifest within the mortal world. That was how he could transform my Spirit Origin despite being a god that should not be around in this age. If Grandfather influenced me right as Aspidochelone swallowed me, then he must have wanted me to use his power to combat the one controlling the Phantasmal and propagating this demented clan-type society. If he had such a grand plan in mind for me, then he had to know who was responsible for it all.</p><p>“So then, let’s go back to my original question; what purpose would someone have for establishing an entire society that revolves around pointless sacrifice and flagrant consumption? Furthermore, this land is conveniently cut off from the surface world, where concepts like morals, laws and decency constrain such barbarism so that mankind can flourish for years to come. Here, you could do whatever you liked without worrying about any outsiders marching in and punishing you…”</p><p>In an extremely rare moment of mirth, Connla’s lips slightly curled into a confident smile.</p><p>“An outsider like, say… St. Patrick?”</p><p>The man, despite not showing any emotion, was visibly flustered as he sharply glared at her. His lips remained tightly sealed, but there was an obvious fire flaring within his eyes now.</p><p>“Looks like I hit quite the nerve,” she said. “Right. The only logical answer to my question was, ‘A god who was propitiated through human sacrifice’. After discovering Grandfather’s hand in this whole ordeal, it solidified your identity as well. You’re a pagan god of pre-Christian Ireland, a demonic snake hidden within thick mists who would grant your followers grains and milk in exchange for the sacrifice of first-born children. Your demands were so hefty that even the High King Tigernmas and three-quarters of his entire army were horribly slaughtered to appease you.</p><p>“Such brutal worship was put to an end when St. Patrick took his crozier and smashed your statue into pieces before banishing you for good. Afterwards, your influence was quickly replaced with Christian beliefs throughout Ireland. That is precisely why you bear such a specific grudge against Celts and Christians alike, and why no such societies ever existed in this closed-off world.”</p><p>Connla raised her hand and pointed at him.</p><p>“You are one of Ireland’s Old Gods, also known as the Bloody Crooked One – Crom Cruach.”</p><p>The man did not respond. He wasn’t going to verbally congratulate her for the deduction she just gave. He opted to just step out of the shadows and show her the truth. His steps were light and purposeful as he quietly approached her, his expression remaining stony and stoic. His pure black eyes were devoid of life, as if they were gateways into some silent abyss. He was a fairly tall man with short black hair who wore a black trenchcoat with half of the chest portion missing and being held up by buckles around his shoulder and torso. He didn’t have any weapons on him, but Connla could tell from his aura alone that he was a fearsome martial artist.</p><p>However, what shocked her the most was… she actually <em>recognized</em> this man!</p><p>Her eyes widened in abject surprise, and she dropped her pointing hand.</p><p>
  <em>Ku… Kuzuki… Soichirou…!?</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE: Well, how did you like that barrage of plot twists at the end? It was a pain to keep his identity a mystery until now, but hopefully it was worth it. If you managed to figure it out before the reveal, then congrats! Hopefully the fight between Adult!Connla and Cruzuki (see what I did there? ;D) will be just as satisfying a read for you as it will be for me to write.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Silencing the Snake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>25: Silencing the Snake </strong>
</p><p>Crom Cruach stared at Connla for a long while. He wasn’t sure why she appeared so flabbergasted all of a sudden after presenting such a brilliant deduction. He then raised an eyebrow and wondered, “Ah. So you recognize my vessel.”</p><p>She swallowed, then nodded.</p><p>He said, “Just like how Lugh is using you as his Pseudo-Servant, worship in me has waned so dramatically that I had to resort to finding a human possessing the same wavelength as me in order to materialize in this world.”</p><p>“That’s what I figured. I just never expected you to rely on <em>him</em>, of all people.”</p><p>“This man was raised to be an assassin with no concept of emotions, isolated from all of society and treated as a tool of murder. I too am a tool of murder that humans use to make their wishes come true – more precisely, a god of sacrifice. Yet when our uses are expended, we are then treated as evil beings that should not exist in this world.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“But I digress. As a result of me choosing this man, I have thus been bestowed the Servant class of Assassin. While it is not the ideal class for me, it is most suitable for me to adjust to this man’s latent combat style.”</p><p>Connla knew what Crom Cruach meant by this. If he wanted to maintain this sequestered society for as long as possible, then he would certainly want the ability to protect it himself should the need arise… and now, that need <em>did</em> arise once she showed up. Although his expression never changed, his murderous intent was far too evident for her to ignore. Even so, there was one question she couldn’t resist asking him:</p><p>“About this whole faction-styled society, isolated from the rest of the world… What exactly is your purpose in establishing it?”</p><p>“My purpose?” Crom Cruach wondered, then narrowed his eyes. “Why is that important to you?”</p><p>“I want to know what you seek to gain from all of this. I know that gods sustain themselves through human worship, yet no one I met ever mentioned your name, nor was anyone actually praying to you. You act fundamentally different from other gods, being content to stay obscured and let things play out for themselves. The only telltale sign that something felt off was how Celtic and Christian Servants wielded more wealth and resources than anyone else. That was probably born out of your grudge against St. Patrick and the people of Ireland for abandoning you.”</p><p>“Indeed. I would never allow either of those two types of Servants to flourish in my ideal civilization.”</p><p>“Even so, you don’t seem bothered by the lack of actual worship towards you. Were the sacrifices made to the Fomorian idols sufficient enough to sustain you, or is there something else going on?”</p><p>Crom Cruach closed his eyes and stood there, as still as one of his own stone statues.</p><p>“Sacrifices in the name of Crom Cruach… Perhaps the era of giving up one’s loved ones and prized possessions to a pagan deity such as myself is over. The world can only handle so many incidents similar to King Tigernmas before mankind moves in to put a stop to such madness. However, isn’t sacrifice itself prevalent in the modern age as a living, breathing concept?”</p><p>Connla widened her eyes. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“Livestock bred solely to be processed into meat for human consumption. Fish suddenly pulled out of the ocean by eager anglers. Mages performing human experimentation to further their own lineages. Crooks embezzling money from others. Criminals murdering witnesses to ensure their silence. Servants given up to my Fomorian idols to maintain a civilization.</p><p>“I could go on with so many other examples of such. While direct worship in me is no more, by being conceptualized as a ‘god of sacrifice’, just the mere existence of humans allows for my existence to be sustained. The same can be said of similar gods representing sacrifice in other cultures.”</p><p>“In other words,” Connla murmured, “you’ve been secretly living through human history this whole time.”</p><p>“I may have been pushed into the darkest corners of mankind’s collective subconsciousness, but St. Patrick’s crozier most certainly did not kill me. Thanks to this oversight, I bided my time while consuming on the ‘faith’ that such daily sacrifices generate, until I was strong enough to inhabit this man’s body as my vessel.”</p><p>“Bided your time? For what? Revenge?”</p><p>Crom Cruach muttered, “That’s probably one reason. While I am impartial to many things, the Christian faith is something I have little tolerance for. Quite frankly, their flagrant hypocrisy disgusts me. Once were they a holy organization, but now they have degenerated into murderous elitists who seek to curate human history according to their own whims.</p><p>“Unfortunately, the Christian faith comprises a vast portion of humanity’s belief systems. If I wished to birth the society I always yearned for, I needed to find a means of first secluding people from Christianity’s overbearing influence. To that end, I enlisted the help of another forgotten pagan deity; Cernunnos, the god of beasts and wild places. With his abilities, I was able to summon Aspidochelone from the Reverse Side of the World and put the reigns on it. From there, I’m sure you understand the rest.”</p><p>She sighed in dismay. “Unbelievable… To think you’d go this far to achieve your dream… All at the expense of so many humans and Servants…”</p><p>“I take it you seek to bring me to justice on Lugh’s behalf,” Crom Cruach said. “Well, it cannot be helped. Lugh and I are rivals after all. He and I always had a competition as to who got to keep each year’s bounty every summer.”</p><p><em>Right,</em> Connla thought. <em>That’s the folklore behind the Lughnasadh festival; Crom Dubh, who is based off of Crom Cruach, would steal the harvest, and then Grandfather would fight him to get it back for humanity. I suppose in a way, the people trapped inside Aspidochelone are considered the ‘harvest’ that Grandfather wants me to rescue this time around.</em></p><p>Crom Cruach shrugged nonchalantly. “I thought for sure I could escape Lugh’s watchful gaze down in the depths of the ocean, but I suppose it was foolish of me to try.”</p><p>She replied firmly, “You’re right. What you’re doing is madness. If sustaining yourself through daily sacrifices is enough for you, then there’s no need for this demented civilization that revolves around Fomorian idol worship. This is all just your selfish, petty little world where you can gorge on human suffering as much as you like. Well I’ve had enough. No matter what it takes, I’m going to put a stop to this <em>right now</em>.”</p><p>“So it would seem,” he said, then got into a combat stance. “I suppose I’ll have to move into the clean-up phase of this plan.”</p><p>“Clean-up phase?” she wondered as she brandished her daggers.</p><p>“Elimination of evidence and witnesses. Willingly destroying my own statues and unleashing the trapped Fomorians and Shadow Servants should have taken care of things for me, but everyone’s collective resilience was far greater than I expected.”</p><p>“Damn straight. Even if you wind up defeating me, there’s no way you can destroy so many Servants at once.”</p><p>“That’s why I have my last resort on standby.”</p><p>She visibly cringed. She dared not ask what he meant, but he answered for her:</p><p>“Much of the faith energy has been gathered into Aspidochelone’s body to provide strength for its survival. I will instead convert that energy into raw destruction, and detonate him like a nuclear bomb to wipe Okeanos off the map.”</p><p>
  <em>“You can’t be serious!”</em>
</p><p>“My original intention was to do so in the Vatican, but that will have to wait for another time. I may perish, but the sacrifices will be enough to keep me alive as a conceptual god. The same cannot be said for everyone else involved.”</p><p>In that instant, Connla’s rage and desperation <em>skyrocketed</em>. Now that she understood how dangerously high the stakes were, she lost her mind in a frenzied fit and screamed, <strong><em>“As if I’d let you get that far!”</em></strong></p><p>She let out a fierce battle cry, ran at him and summoned her swords into her hands. She slashed and thrust at him multiple times, but he fluidly sidestepped each strike. The blades glowed bright, and she got on the ball of her foot before spinning like a top. Her swords made contact with his energized fists numerous times as he struggled to block the whirling onslaught. When he found an opening, he spun on his heel and tried to strike her with a roundhouse kick. She jerked her head back and backflipped to safety.</p><p> Crom Cruach didn’t want to give Connla any chances to recover. As she skittered along a long blood vessel, he dashed in low and punched at her so quickly that he resembled a gatling gun. The dark energy surrounding his fists wasn’t any different than dealing with a bevvy of flying razors, and her skin was lacerated several times. She held strong and focused on dodging his assault. While he was busy injuring her upper body, he failed to notice one of her legs shoot straight upward in an elegant high kick, striking his chin and making him flip once in midair.</p><p>While he was out of commission for those precious milliseconds, she kicked him backwards, then shot a large fireball that rocketed past him and exploded. The shockwave suddenly snapped him forwards, and she struck him with an additional flying kick. He violently bounced off of a vein and tumbled along the ground, but quickly regained his composure and vaulted upward with his hands. She dashed and leapt high above him, then directed her upper body downward to face him. Particles of shining light glittered around her swords, and she blasted down at him as a radiant streak. He raised his arms in an X form and summoned evil energy to surround him in a protective barrier, countering her brightness with pure darkness.</p><p>“Ah!?” she cried out as his shield blasted her back. Her swords flew out of her hands and spun too far in the distance for her to reclaim. Crom Cruach lowered the barrier and leapt at her, then slammed both of his fists against her back and made her plummet straight down on a thick vine. The recoil made her gasp in agony. She saw his dark figure falling upon her, and more of the sinister green energy surrounded his arm.</p><p><em>“Don’t fret,”</em> the unknown man’s voice called out in Connla’s mind. “<em>Your weapons are not what make you a Saber. Your body and soul are swords unto their own, polished and gleaming in the light.”</em></p><p>Those words motivated her to raise her legs directly above her face, and light shone on the soles of her feet. As Crom Cruach unleashed his punch, Connla raised her feet to deliver a rising kick that countered his attack. Light and darkness exploded around them, blowing them apart for a few moments. Connla tumbled several meters along a nerve vessel before coming to a stop, and she glared around to see where her opponent was going to show up this time.</p><p>She felt a peculiar breeze rustle her hair. She didn’t bother looking to see where he was. Crom Cruach swiped his hand like a high-speed whip, intent on chopping it against the nape of Connla’s neck and rendering her unconscious, if not dead. Although he didn’t show it, he was rather surprised when he struck a small Shield Rune that she had secretly erected, and it violently deflected his arm away.</p><p>“Not this time, buddy,” she quipped, which perplexed him.</p><p>As the two Pseudo-Servants fought, Connla couldn’t forget what happened to her counterpart back in the dream about the alternate Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail War. There, Kuzuki Soichirou had delivered a decisive defeat to that Connla because she did not anticipate him to be reinforced by Medea’s magic. Chaldea Connla wouldn’t let her counterpart’s defeat go to waste this time. Backed with that experience plus Lugh’s guidance and power, she was more than ready to deal with whatever Crom Cruach would dish out.</p><p>Utilizing Lugh’s knowledge of martial arts, Connla grabbed Crom Cruach’s arm and made him flip onto his back. She raised her fist and tried to punch him in the face, but he rolled out of the way and whipped his leg against her midsection. She just barely managed to block it with her arms, but the force sent her flying sideways. As she cried out in surprise, he ran at her and punched her multiple times. She couldn’t block every blow, but at least she deflected the ones aimed for her vitals. When he tried to blow her heart out of her chest, she deftly whirled about on her heel and hopped, delivering a series of aerial spinning kicks to his cheeks and forehead. He was off-balance, yet he managed to snatch her incoming ankle with an iron grip and toss her at the nearest wall with all his might.</p><p>After she made impact, Connla wasted no time reeling in pain as she saw Crom Cruach diving for her with his fist glowing that foreboding dark green color. She lithely flipped onto her hands to dodge his falling punch by millimeters, then spun her legs about like flails to beat up his face. He stumbled on his ankle, and she landed back upright before smacking the side of her hand against his neck as hard as she could. He grimaced, yet refused to show her that he was in pain. At that moment, one of Connla’s flying swords spun around in a wide arc and returned to her. She grabbed the hilt and stabbed it through Crom Cruach’s shoulder. His eyes widened slightly in surprise. Out of raw desperation, he grabbed her wrist and tossed her away, then leapt after her in pursuit.</p><p>Connla quickly grabbed hold of a dangling vein, twirled and shimmied around it like a trapeze artist to correct her momentum, then performed a roundhouse kick that knocked Crom Cruach back. He flipped backwards, vaulted off another vein, then shot back and snatched her head with his legs. He used the velocity to hurl her back against another vein, crashing clean through it and causing black blood to gush everywhere. She recovered quickly and pressed her feet against an intact nerve, then spread her arms out to conjure a series of Runes that blasted dozens of fireballs at him.</p><p>Crom Cruach elegantly twisted and turned to avoid each projectile, landing about 100 meters away on a thin stretch of fiber. He charged his legs with demonic energy. To Connla, he appeared as an invisible blue while he advanced for her. She likewise used a Ken Rune to grant herself supersonic speeds, and shot for him like a bullet while stretching her leg forth. Both of their feet made impact, and the shockwave tore through a clean circumference of blood vessels around them.</p><p>They flipped back simultaneously and landed about 50 feet apart from each other. Crom Cruach stared at her for a moment. His expression seemed to soften a little as he murmured, “Though we may fight as enemies, I harbor no ill will against you, Child of Cuchulainn. You too were a sacrifice for your mother’s plot against your father.”</p><p>“You… know about me?” she breathed in astonishment.</p><p>“Of course I do. No sacrifice in this world goes unnoticed by me. Even now, you stand here as Lugh’s proxy, sacrificing your body and life to do battle in his stead. A Celt you may be, but how can I begrudge one who has had to carry so much on her little shoulders?”</p><p>“Is there something you’re trying to say to me? Like ‘join my side’ or something to that effect?”</p><p>“The sharpness in your words tells me that you would not be interested in such a collaboration. No, I merely acknowledge you. If modern man were to witness the brutality you survived at your mother’s hand, I’m certain many would commit suicide out of despair. Though you may not know it, I also observed your battle against Cuchulainn all those years ago. The way that you were so callously disposed of and murdered by your own family did not escape my notice. You loved your parents, but they did not love you in return. Only now as a Servant are you beginning to experience the concept of love, and even then your grandfather is treating you as a tool to fulfill his rivalry with me.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“I suppose I cannot help but gravitate towards such souls, regardless if they see me as an enemy of humanity. Not only that, my physical vessel is reacting to your presence as well. I cannot speak for his reasons, but he seems to find some sort of kinship with you.”</p><p>“A kinship…?” Connla murmured.</p><p>In the Fuyuki dream, Soichirou did indeed say some parting words to the alternate Connla. He never indicated that he shared some kind of bond with her however. Chaldea Connla wasn’t sure what Crom Cruach meant by this. He didn’t say anything to her, but he had witnessed Soichirou’s life as a boy growing up in an assassin’s syndicate. Crom Cruach was far too aware of evil people like Aife, and of evil organizations like the syndicate treating those around them like garbage. The sacrifices that the victims had to endure sustained him as a god, yet at the same time, he did not actually enjoy deriving his power from such tragedies.</p><p>Crom Cruach’s hatred of the Christian faith wasn’t necessarily from when St. Patrick abolished worship in him, though it was certainly a factor. That was probably an inevitable outcome after what happened with King Tigernmas and his kingdom. What he couldn’t stand was how Christians lauded themselves as saviors and shepherds, while at the same time relying on evil tactics and clandestine organizations to maintain their power over the ‘uncivilized sheep’ they called their followers. Crom Cruach had seen it over and over again – people being tortured, abused, and bred into soulless tools for Christianity’s sake, only to be discarded to protect the holy image.</p><p>He just couldn’t understand it. How could a revered holy man like St. Patrick share the same faith as these monsters who wore human skin? How did Crom Cruach lose to a man who believed in such a hypocritical belief system? Did St. Patrick know that the sacrifices that Christianity’s upper echelons caused would inadvertently give strength to a pagan god of sacrifice?</p><p>Connla noticed how distracted Crom Cruach looked. Something weighed heavily on his mind. She paused for a bit, unsure of what to do. Soon, an epiphany came to her.</p><p>
  <em>Of course… I could do <strong>that!</strong></em>
</p><p>She raised her sword, pointed it at Crom Cruach, and boldly declared, “I have a proposition for you.”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“If you win, then you can do whatever the hell you want. Blow everything up, kill everyone, form a new cult in the future, I really don’t care. But if I win, then you have to swear allegiance to my Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka, as one of her Servants.”</p><p>Although his expression barely changed, she could tell that he was rather intrigued by this. His deep frown creased a bit, and he murmured, “Where did you come upon such a ridiculous idea?”</p><p>“Don’t mind me. I have to think outside the box all the time if I want to survive my battles.”</p><p>“Is that so? Even though you admit your weakness, you speak as if you have complete confidence in your victory. Do you even understand how much you’re putting at stake with such a fleeting bargain?”</p><p>“I do. Yet, just as you acknowledge the sacrifices I made in my life, I likewise acknowledge your strength and believe it could be put to better use than enacting petty schemes.”</p><p>“Is your Master really going to accept someone like me?”</p><p>Connla shrugged. “She summons former enemies in her ranks like it’s nothing.”</p><p>Crom Cruach closed his eyes, then murmured, “Sounds like quite the carefree spirit… All right then. I will accept your condition. Even a god of sacrifice is not exempt from making sacrifices himself. But if you want me to yield, you will have to try much harder than ever before. Can you really pull it off when you’re much too immature as Lugh’s Pseudo-Servant?”</p><p>Once he said that, his entire body was enveloped in a dark green aura, and about a ten-meter radius around him darkened to pitch black. Connla got back into her fighting stance and waited to see what would happen. She could only see the deep viridian haze surrounding his silhouette. Then she heard him chant in an eerie tone, “I, dark crooked lord of the burial mound, rise from the black earth and demand blood of the first-born. Life and death, the everlasting paradox. <strong><em>Magh Slécht.</em></strong>” †</p><p>A furious wind rushed past Connla, and she gasped in surprise. The pressure was immense. She felt like she was being crushed beneath several tons of rocks while suffering from severe depression simultaneously. Then, Crom Cruach appeared before her. He wasn’t there one second, the next he was inches from her face. Before she could react, he relentlessly battered her with numerous energized punches. The final blow sent her tumbling along the vein they stood on. She picked herself up and glared at him.</p><p>
  <em>His Noble Phantasm isn’t an attack?</em>
</p><p>Indeed, Magh Slécht wasn’t an offensive Noble Phantasm, but more of a self buff. It symbolized the cult that worshipped him long ago and of the sacrifices they had to make to appease him. Although Crom Cruach was apathetic by nature, no sacrifice ever escaped his notice. Each time a life was proffered to him, he would grow stronger, just as he told Connla earlier. He was simply tapping into hundreds upon hundreds of offerings made all at once so he could fight more effectively. It was sort of similar to her Lancer-class Noble Phantasm, Laoch Gan Finscéal, except that she called upon the souls of forgotten heroes to give her strength.</p><p>As Connla was lost in thought, Crom Cruach rushed at her once more. She tried to kick his head, but he grabbed her raised leg and knocked her onto her back, then punched her in the stomach. She quickly rolled aside and attempted to make some distance between them.</p><p>“You’re not getting away,” he taunted coldly.</p><p>He raised his fist, and darkness coagulated around it before he punched, launching some kind of inky blob at the retreating girl. She got out of the way, but it made contact with the ground and caused spikes of pure darkness to explode out of the ground like hedgehog spines. Connla quickly used them as leverage to turn around and kick Crom Cruach’s blocking arm. He swung his fist around, which she rolled beneath while launching her swords high up. She caught the hilts with her toes and deflected his punches with them while still upside-down. She got back upright and tried to do a jump kick, but he smacked her away with his own kick. She flipped backwards once, landed on a vertical vein, and hopped off while throwing a sword at him.</p><p>Faster than a mortal man could perceive, Crom Cruach sidestepped the weapon, grabbed it, and hurled it back at Connla’s face. She fetched its hilt to stop it several centimeters from killing her, then reared forward and spun her legs multiple times to pummel his upper body. Her heel viciously dropped on his head, and he bounced off the blood vessel. She got in beneath, reared her torso back, then pushed forth with all her strength to blast him backwards.</p><p>Connla’s swords glowed bright once again, and she slid along the nerve while leaving a trail of sparkling particles in her wake. She caught up to Crom Cruach as he tumbled and performed a high uppercut with her blade that cut into his abdomen. As she corrected herself in midair, she noticed him rushing straight up a nearby vein to catch up to her, and he launched himself at her. She tried to swipe his shoulder, but he twisted over the attack and landed on her back, then leapt off to force her face-first back to the ground. She quickly looked up to see him energizing his leg with darkness as he performed a dropkick possessing enough power to cleave through a giant. She yelped and clumsily tumbled forward, but her head jerked back against her volition as he caught her long ponytail, preventing her from escaping.</p><p>For the next few seconds, each of Crom Cruach’s rising kicks struck Connla in multiple areas of her body, throwing her completely off-kilter. He jumped and launched her into the air with some rising kicks, then finished with a potent backflip kick that sent her careening into the abyssal depths of Aspidochelone’s cranium.</p><p>“Ngh… He’s too strong… with his Noble Phantasm… active…” she grunted.</p><p><em>“So it would seem,”</em> the unknown man’s voice murmured in her head. <em>“Don’t forget though. A battle between Servants is actually a battle against Noble Phantasms.”</em></p><p>“But I don’t know what mine is as a Saber…”</p><p>
  <em>“Have you forgotten already? You possess the Wheel of Light that incinerates even the most bottomless of swamps!”</em>
</p><p>“Oh!”</p><p>Connla gained a new boost in confidence once she understood what he meant. She <em>had</em> been using it! This whole time, she mistakenly thought it was some kind of new weapon in her arsenal, rather than a full-fledged Noble Phantasm. She spread her arms out, and a fiery glow surrounded her as she called out, “Hear my prayer, God of Light! My dance embodies your blessing, and my sword executes your will! Fill me with light, and banish evil from whence it came!”</p><p>A surprise torrent of flames engulfed the depths, lighting up the dark caverns and incinerating any nearby blood vessels. Crom Cruach saw a figure swathed in light emerge from the conflagration, and a familiar eight-spoked wheel twirled alongside her as she shouted her Noble Phantasm’s name:</p><p><strong><em>“Lúnasa Fómhar!”</em></strong> ††</p><p>She was upon him within milliseconds, and they engaged in a fierce duel of punches and kicks that would impress even the most critical of judges in a martial arts tournament. His dark-based attacks were canceled out by her shining swords and flaming kicks, although he was still fleet-footed enough to dodge the more fatal blows. She got in low and struck his face with a rising roundhouse kick, making him stumble back. Suddenly, Lugh’s Halo whirled in and struck him in the side, burning his flesh with a blast of fire. He twisted his torso to correct himself moments before Connla dashed in and stabbed her blades at him.</p><p>Crom Cruach snatched her wrist and pummeled her backside, then did a blunt kick that shoved her away. She flipped about, coming dangerously close to falling off the edge. Lugh’s Halo descended to provide her with a solid platform over the abyss. She got on one hand and enacted a fluid breakdance while spinning on the wheel, bashing her legs against Crom Cruach multiple times to make him trip on his own heel. She finished with a whipping kick that tossed him into the deep crater.</p><p>Crom Cruach grimaced, realizing how trouble he was in. Contending with Connla alone was easy enough for him, but adding Lugh’s Halo to the equation made things much trickier than he anticipated. He was sure that an immature Heroic Spirit like her would not have the capacity to fight him and control the flaming wheel at the same time – it would take just way too much concentration on her part. He narrowed his eyes as a thought came to him:</p><p>
  <em>Lugh… You’re the one controlling the Wheel of Light, aren’t you?</em>
</p><p>To his shock, Connla dove for him at terminal velocity. Before he could do anything, she assaulted the stunned god with numerous punches and kicks that left him disoriented. Lugh’s Halo floated behind her to provide her with a platform so she could jump off and rush at Crom Cruach as an imperceptible streak of light. Both Servant and weapon worked in tandem to continue this barrage, finishing with a bum rush tackle that catapulted him toward the large Fomorian idol.</p><p>He had to recover, and quickly. The stone statue was keeping all of these thousands of blood vessels intact so he could control Aspidochelone for as long as possible. If it was lost, he wouldn’t be able to use the Phantasmal as a living bomb, thereby ruining his ultimate plan. He somersaulted several times and directed his feet at the statue’s head, landing safely on it. He looked up and discovered tiny points of light growing to reveal themselves as a storm of fireballs. He raised his arms and conjured a barrier of blackness around the statue’s frontside, protecting it from the fiery fusillade.</p><p><em>“There! Aim for the idol! That is the source of his power!”</em> Connla’s ally called out to her.</p><p>“Got it!”</p><p>Lugh’s Halo lost its form and transformed into raw flames that surrounded Connla. She streamlined her body and dove upon Crom Cruach with the elegance of a swimming champion. The god threw more inky blobs that burst into deadly bur-like spikes at her, but the fire incinerated each one to allow her to continue falling uninterrupted.</p><p>A fleeting image flashed in her mind. The sight of Cuchulainn Riastrad - the <em>true</em> Berserker version of the Child of Light that she and Cuchulainn Alter saw before – resonated within her soul. She remembered how he mercilessly butchered the monsters assailing him. Before, he inspired abject fear in her. Now though, she seemed to feel different about him. She respected his loss of sanity… or rather, the need to let go of rationality in order to defeat something much stronger than her. Fire and rage boiled in her very veins, practically threatening to make her explode unless she did something to release this pent-up energy.</p><p>Connla fiercely clenched her teeth. For a moment, Crom Cruach thought that she had gained fangs. Her eyes widened so much that they were bloodshot. She raised her arm and curled her hand into a tight fist. Searing hot smoke whirled around it like a spiral. The knuckles turned bright white. Her face creased with distinct warp spasm lines. Crom Cruach couldn’t turn his eyes away from this magnificent sight. Even he couldn’t hold back his surprise.</p><p>Then Connla, Saber-class Servant and the Scion of Light, unleashed the mightiest scream of her life.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“HEEE~EEE~EEE~EEEYAAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAAHHH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>“Hm?”</p><p>Gilgamesh thought he sensed a strange rush of energy wash through him. From aboard Vimana, he glared down at the limp Aspidochelone. What caught his attention was a singular rush of light coursing through the Phantasmal’s nervous system. It only happened for a few brief seconds, but it was certainly an unusual occurrence to merit his attention.</p><p>He observed the majestic sight with a stony gaze. Soon though, a smirk crept on his lips. He felt it; her fury, frustration, and determination, all culminating in that final, glorious blow, definitely reached his soul. It was a radiant, and most beautiful light that he wasn’t going to be forgetting anytime soon. He acknowledged it all with three simple words:</p><p>“… Well done, runt.”</p><p>A portal opened behind him. A long sword with a golden hilt and a red-and-black, cone-like blade extracted itself, and he stood up to grip it while murmuring, “Leave the rest to me.”</p>
<hr/><p>Connla kneeled there. She wasn’t sure where she was anymore, but she was too exhausted to even move a finger. After breathing hard for a few minutes, she opened her eyes and wearily looked around. The first thing she noticed was that she was back in her child form. Her final attack had expended so much energy that she could no longer maintain her adult persona. That didn’t bother her so much, but the sight of the Fomorian idol shattered into millions of pieces made her gasp in both relief and surprise.</p><p>Then she searched for Crom Cruach. She couldn’t find him anywhere nearby, which meant her decisive punch had to have sent him careening far out of sight. She stumbled to her feet and ambled around aimlessly, hoping to catch even a glimpse of him. If anything, she needed to confirm that he was either still alive or very much dead. Soon, Connla found the Pseudo-Servant crumpled in a heap over a pile of rubble that was once his final stone idol. She tried to approach him, but something felt particularly ‘off’ about him.</p><p>That was when Crom Cruach’s head rotated 360 degrees… <em>three times</em>.</p><p>His spine crackled and creaked with each rotation. His dead eyes stared at her, not much differently than a dead fish’s vapid gaze. Connla gasped with fright. Did she really do that to him? She had been so engrossed in her rage and fury that she didn’t pay attention to how much strength she was actually wielding. She felt relieved that he was dead, but since she was dealing with a Pseudo-Servant, she wasn’t sure if just killing the human vessel would be enough to silence the god lurking inside.</p><p>Just then, a peculiar thread of darkness coiled itself around Connla’s wrist and lower arm. She was surprised at first, but it wasn’t placed particularly tight on her. It was just set snugly enough so that it wouldn’t dislodge from her arm so easily. It looked like a regular black necklace at first glance, but there were twelve miniature bronze effigies of the same Fomorian idols she and all the other Servants wrecked.</p><p>“What is this?” she uttered.</p><p>Although Kuzuki Soichirou’s body was most definitely deceased, she could hear his voice echo all around the cranial cavern as Crom Cruach said, <em>“A catalyst for your Master to summon me. Give it to them, and my part of the deal will be complete.”</em></p><p>She became quiet. Even though she didn’t feel any magical energy radiating from it, she still hoped it wouldn’t be dangerous for her to carry it around for too long.</p><p>
  <em>“My plot is over. You are the victor of this contest. I give you my congratulations.”</em>
</p><p>“Uh…”</p><p>As his voice faded, his tone turned dire as he warned, <em>“You had best escape. It will not be long before the fires and winds of Enuma Elish ravage this space.”</em></p><p>Connla clenched her teeth in horror. “Enuma Elish… <em>Lord Gilgamesh is about to unleash Ea here!?</em>”</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE #1:</p><p>† - “Plain of Prostration”, named for a forested place where a cult dedicated to worshipping Crom Cruach was located. Anglicized as <em>Moyslaught</em>, the actual Magh Slécht is located in the southwest of Ulster province today.</p><p>†† - Literally means ‘August Harvest’, but technically speaking, the celebration of Lúnasa (or Lughnasadh) marks the beginning of the harvest season. The festival is named after the Celtic god Lugh, and there is a story of him defeating the god Crom Dubh to seize the stolen harvest for mankind. Crom Dubh is likewise based off of Crom Cruach, the main antagonist of this story.</p><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE #2: Well, how did you guys like that? Normally I would have had a hard time writing an entire chapter dedicated to a fight scene against anyone other than Cu Alter (‘cause he’s fun to write about). Then I remembered watching the <em>Dead Fantasy</em> series a long time ago and used the first two episodes for choreography ideas. God bless you, Monty Oum. With the hard stuff out of the way, I should be able to finish this as my NaNo 2020 project soon. Then I can dedicate loads of time to grinding the Christmas event in FGO. Evil Bones and QP for days, I tell you…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Sunshine and Warmth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>26: Sunshine and Warmth</strong>
</p><p>Slowly but surely, Gilgamesh extracted the conical ‘wand’-like sword from the portal until he wielded it properly. It wasn’t technically right to call it a ‘sword’ since it was created long before the concept of swords and blades in general existed.</p><p>“Normally I would not utilize one of my greatest treasures to destroy an insignificant creature such as yourself, Demonic Shield Turtle,” he declared coldly. “However, your shell contains the power of fruitless destruction, seeking to eliminate any and all creation in your wake, solely out of petty vengeance. I, who bear the primordial power to cleave the formless into Heaven and Earth, will not permit you to taint my lands and my people any further. If you seek to be Destruction incarnate, then I will rain the fires of Creation upon you without hesitation.”</p><p>Ea’s top and bottom segments rotated counterclockwise, while the middle section spun clockwise. Their spinning intensified, and a blazing hot wind spun around both him and the mythical weapon until they converged at the top as a singular blob of pure heat.</p><p><em>“Return to the silent depths where you belong! <strong>Enuma…</strong></em>”</p><p>He pointed Ea at Aspidochelone’s head.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“ELISH!”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>“Oh, this is bad, this is bad, this is bad!” Connla panicked, realizing how much trouble she was in.</p><p>She didn’t have any time to waste being angry with Gilgamesh for using his Noble Phantasm without ensuring she escaped first. All she could do was dive off of the nerve vessel she stood on and surround herself in a sphere of roaring flames. She hit the bottom of Aspidochelone’s skull and concentrated on increasing her magical output to increase the fire’s strength. She soon burrowed into the thick flesh, trying to look for a way out.</p><p>After a minute of worming through the Phantasmal’s neck, she discovered a particularly large injury along its carotid artery – the same one Cuchulainn Alter caused earlier. This made it significantly easier for her to break through without wasting too much energy. Then the familiar rush of cold water hit her skin, instantly extinguishing the fire surrounding her, and she tumbled through the ocean just moments before the King of Heroes used his strongest attack.</p>
<hr/><p>With a deafening cracking sound, Gilgamesh’s weapon unleashed its stored-up power. A concentrated streak of raw destruction, burning bright red and white, tore through the air until it struck the Phantasmal. It happened so quickly that any semblance of pain never registered in its mind. Its head melted, and its skull fractured into thousands of pieces. Luckily, Gilgamesh didn’t actually unleash Ea’s <em>full</em> might upon the beast. Even he wouldn’t be foolish enough to do that. He only utilized enough power to incinerate its head and neck, intent on eradicating its brain so it had no chance of ever moving again.</p><p>When the Noble Phantasm settled enough, everyone else could see that a giant gaping hole was left behind where Aspidochelone’s cranium used to be. Cooked flesh smoldered, and a terrible acrid smell wafted everywhere. Of course, there was still a certain Servant who had been atop the monster’s spine, and thus had to run for his life to avoid being caught in the conflagration.</p><p><strong>“<em>GOO-OO-OLDENNN!!”</em></strong> Sakata Kintoki cried out in total shock. The sudden force threw him clean off of Aspidochelone’s shell, and he sailed in a wide arc before plummeting to the ocean below. Despite this, he couldn’t resist quipping, “If I didn’t have my sunglasses on, I would have gone blind!”</p><p>He hit the water with a mighty splash. A few seconds later, he shot his head back up and cried out, “WAAA~AAAH! HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT! This must have been what it was like for Goemon when he was executed! <em>Holy crap, I’m boiling like a golden lobster!</em>”</p><p>Boudica spotted him and cried out, “Hang on, we’re coming to get you!”</p><p>Cuchulainn Prototype steered the boat toward the Berserker. Boudica and Mata Hari helped him climb aboard, then Cuchulainn quickly drove the vessel away from the dead Phantasmal.</p>
<hr/><p>Inside Aspidochelone’s esophagus, Lucius and the others were forced to retreat as waves upon waves of Fomorians kept advancing upon them. While Crom Cruach fought against Connla, he had been commanding his familiars to keep any interlopers away. With how congested and claustrophobic the battlefield was, the Servants had no choice but to leave Connla behind and go back to the stomach region.</p><p>“Shit!” Beowulf cursed. “The kid had better be okay! If I find out she was killed, I’ll bust my own head open!”</p><p>“Relax,” Li Shuwen told him. “She might be young, but her eyes possess experience and wisdom. She will not be so easy for our enemy to defeat.”</p><p>The group had to fend off Fomorians while running for a while, but eventually several peculiar things happened. First, a strange light coursed through the cavern like wires in some futuristic wall. It was only a single flash, but it certainly alarmed the Servants. Then without warning, the Fomorians began to slow down in their pursuit, as if they were losing their energy for some reason. Their bodies slowly broke apart like old dolls, with their limbs and torsos collapsing onto the ground before melting into goo. In less than a minute, they went from threatening to disappearing like a bad dream.</p><p>“What’s going on here?” Jack wondered. “I didn’t dismember them, but they’re dismembering anyway.”</p><p>Lucius’ grin broadened widely. “Isn’t it obvious, my girl? The villain who controlled them is no more.”</p><p>“Then… Connla did it!? She killed the bad guy!?”</p><p>“So it would seem! My Lugh Faction has emerged victorious from this war! Not that I ever had any doubts, mind you!”</p><p>“Yay, she did it, she did it! We can go back and get her now!”</p><p>Right as Jack shouted this though, the entire area around them began to shake. It started as a light vibration, but rapidly escalated into an uncontrollable quake. Heroine X yelped, “A little too early to be pullin’ out the champagne bottle, folks! Something’s seriously wrong here!”</p><p>“What’s happening!?” Nursery squealed, then fell backwards as she lost her balance.</p><p>Li caught her, then grumbled, “I don’t like the look of this. We had best make a considerable amount of distance posthaste!”</p><p>“What about Connla!? We can’t leave her behind!”</p><p>He picked up the frantic young Caster, while Beowulf punched Jack in the stomach and hauled her with him before she could try looking for her friend. Lucius and X led the way back through until they reached the larynx, where a second cavern split off into the trachea and bronchial region. They kept going through the esophagus, but about halfway through their escape, that was when they felt a tremendous heat searing through the entire neck. Before anyone could say anything though, the fiery wrath of Enuma Elish blasted through Aspidochelone’s head. The six Servants were sent flying through the cavern at ridiculous speeds, easily enough to kill an ordinary man.</p>
<hr/><p>At the same time, Nero and her group felt the ground rumble beneath their feet. Fortunately, everyone who stayed inside the stomach was too far away to be caught in Enuma Elish’s line of fire, so all they felt were light tremors that shook the sand and treasures like flour in a sifter.</p><p>“Oh, for the love of Zheng, <em>now</em> what’s going on!?” Wu Zetian screeched.</p><p>“I think it’s coming from that direction,” Parvati said as she pointed to the esophagus’ entrance. “There’s some kind of incredible wind blowing all around us.”</p><p>“You think it’s a Noble Phantasm?”</p><p>“Could be. Hard to imagine many Servants possessing this much strength though. It’s enough to incinerate a Phantasmal with little effort. I doubt even divine heroes like Heracles or Achilles could accomplish such a huge feat of destruction.”</p><p>“Wait a moment,” Nero blurted. “Didn’t little Connla say that she spoke with Gilgamesh earlier? As in <em>the</em> Gilgamesh? The King of Heroes himself?”</p><p>“I believe she did. He’s supposed to be in the outside world, isn’t he?”</p><p>“Holy frickin’ hell, this is <em>nuts</em>!” Ashwatthama snapped. “If we’re only feeling the tremors from way over here, who knows what that motherfucker is doing to the head right now!”</p><p>Medusa looked over and murmured in her usual cool tone, “That could be a problem for the assault team. If they don’t get out of there quickly, they’ll be vaporized along with Aspidochelone’s brain.”</p><p>“Hey, are you joking!? Just what the hell does that golden-haired jerk think he’s doing!?” Elizabeth yelled. “He knows his friends are right there, doesn’t he!?”</p><p>“It would seem those children don’t constitute as ‘friends’ for a king of such a high and mighty stature. He either didn’t know they were there, or he deemed their deaths a necessary sacrifice.”</p><p>“No way! I refuse to believe that! Jack and the others are gonna be fine! I just know it!”</p><p>“Suit yourself. I don’t have much faith in their survival, but as long as we are able to escape, then that’s good enough for me.”</p><p>Before Elizabeth could angrily retort, a terrific gust of blazing wind rushed through the entrance to the esophagus. Suddenly, several figures were expelled along with the wind storm, and they let out chilling screams as they tumbled violently along the sand dunes. They soon came to a stop near a ruined pirate ship, and sand blasted everywhere around them.</p><p>“What was that!?” Nero cried out, and she ran to see what the commotion was. Everyone else followed her, mostly out of curiosity. They soon reached the ruins and discovered Lucius’ team scattered around the area. Lucius laid sprawled on his back, Heroine X’s face was buried in the sand, Li Shuwen struggled to get up on his side, and Beowulf held the stunned Jack and Nursery as he groaned in agony after hitting his back against the ship’s rotting wood.</p><p>“It’s you guys!” Wu barked. “What is the meaning of this!? We demand an explanation this instant!”</p><p>“Unnnngh…” Lucius moaned and massaged the nape of his neck. “Quit your screeching, you pint-sized windbag. My ears are ringing like crazy…”</p><p>Elizabeth ran up to Beowulf and kneeled next to him before helping Jack and Nursery recover. She asked the girls, “Are you okay?”</p><p>“Y… Yeah…” Jack whimpered tiredly. “It kind of hurts, but I’ll be okay.”</p><p>“I think my joints got some sand in them,” Nursery said as she popped off one of her doll joints and poured out a copious amount of sand. She looked up at Beowulf and asked, “Are you okay, Mr. B?”</p><p>“Guh… Hurts like hell, but at least I’m alive,” he replied. He scowled and glared at the cavern entrance, then muttered, “I’m more worried about Connla.”</p><p>Elizabeth did a quick head count of the assault team, then realized, “She’s not here!? Where did the little puppy go!?”</p><p>“She went to fight the enemy god by herself.”</p><p>“You’re kidding, right!? You mean she was caught in the middle of that storm!? What the hell are you people doing!? Why’d you let the puppy run off and do something so dangerous!?”</p><p>“Damn it… Believe me, we tried to stop her, but…”</p><p>Li sat up and explained, “It shames me to admit this, but I expected such heavy resistance once we got closer to the enemy’s stronghold. It is difficult to overcome an enemy that can respawn by using small chunks of Aspidochelone’s flesh as material. As soon as one was cut down, the material would just be reused to produce another one. I must say, that was a gross miscalculation on our part.”</p><p>Beowulf smirked and said, “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about that anymore. Connla must have successfully killed the god, because his minions melted like ice cubes in a bowl of soup.”</p><p>“So that means we are safe from further attacks,” Parvati declared. “It is hard for me to say this, but we must put the search for Connla on hiatus until we evacuate everyone. If Gilgamesh really used his Noble Phantasm on Aspidochelone’s head, then a new path must have been made leading to the outside world.”</p><p>Nero nodded. “You’re right. Let’s regroup, then investigate the caverns once more.”</p><p>She was about to tell the citizens what was going on, but stopped as she passed by Heroine X and asked, “How long do you plan on shamelessly sticking your hind quarters in the air?”</p><p>The Assassin pulled her head out of the sand, then grumbled bitterly, “Shut up…”</p>
<hr/><p>On the beaches of Okeanos’ main island, all of the Servants moored their respective boats and regrouped. They gazed in awe at the spectacle before them – Aspidochelone, now completely missing its head and upper neck, was sprawled on the sand as lifeless as could be. The flesh that somehow survived Enuma Elish’s wrath smoldered and cooked, leaving an unpleasant acrid smell in the air.</p><p>“Hot damn…” Cuchulainn Prototype gasped in astonishment. “So that’s the thing that swallowed the kids.”</p><p>“The demon turtle said to be the size of an island, huh?” Emiya muttered. “I thought it was an exaggeration, but that was probably wishful thinking on my part.”</p><p>Kintoki grinned and asked, “Say, how many steaks do you think we could make out of this?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess.”</p><p>“No harm in finding out, right? … OW! Ow, ow, ow, ow! Hey, Nightingale! At least give me a warning before using that antiseptic crap on me!”</p><p>“Be quiet,” the bikini-clad nurse commanded as she treated his many burn injuries. “If I don’t take care of this right away, your skin will be infected, and that will lead to disease and eventually death.”</p><p>“I already told you, I have my Natural Body skill! I can take care of myself no problem!”</p><p>“No excuses. Give yourself up and let me treat you to the fullest extent.”</p><p>
  <em>“GAAAH! Get off me already, you harlot!”</em>
</p><p>The others shrugged and left them alone before approaching the gigantic Phantasmal’s corpse. Mata Hari became apprehensive as she wondered, “Do you think it’s safe to go inside now?”</p><p>“Why are you in such a hurry?” Nitocris wondered. “You could at least wait until its flesh cools down.”</p><p>“But I’m so worried about the children. I think Gil acted too hastily in using his Noble Phantasm, and the girls could have been caught up in it.”</p><p>Ozymandias grinned and said, “There is no such thing as haste when contending with a beast of this magnitude. If he tarried for too long, Aspidochelone could have struck this very beach. Where would that have left us? Why, beneath the crushing weight of a living island!”</p><p>“That’s true, but…”</p><p>Jing Ke quietly drank some sake from her cup, then shifted her eyes toward the headless beast and murmured, “Hm? Did you guys see that?”</p><p>“See what?” Boudica wondered.</p><p>“I think I saw movement.”</p><p>“Really?” the red-haired queen wondered and squinted her eyes to get a better look. Soon, she exclaimed, “You’re right! Someone’s coming out!”</p><p>The other Chaldean Servants looked to see what they were talking about. From the cavernous hole, numerous figures hurried through and joyfully bounded upon the hot beach sands. The humans and Servants who had been trapped inside Aspidochelone for countless years cried out in astonishment almost simultaneously.</p><p>“Unbelievable! Is this truly the mythical land of sunshine and warmth!?” a former Zhou woman cried out happily.</p><p>“It’s so beautiful!” a former Roma noblewoman exclaimed. “This view is more breathtaking than my entire collection of jewelry!”</p><p>“Mom, look! There’s water here!” a boy pointed at the ocean.</p><p>“Wooo~ooow!” his little sister squealed and ran up so that the waves submerged her feet. “There’s so much water! It just goes on forever and ever and ever!”</p><p>More children joined her, and another girl from Uma shouted, “It’s so sparkly too! It looks like fairies dancing on the surface!”</p><p>Then and there, any thoughts of rivaling factions vanished as the adults watched the children play with each other. Meanwhile, the Servants were beginning to emerge from the crevice. Parvati covered her eyes to block out the sun’s intense light, and she remarked, “My goodness! So this is the outside world! What a momentous occasion! We truly are stepping into the land of legends itself!”</p><p>“No way…” Ashwatthama breathed as he gazed not at the beach and ocean, but rather at Aspidochelone’s corpse. “We were inside this freak of nature the entire time?”</p><p>“So it would seem,” Medusa muttered, cool and calm as always.</p><p>“Incredible!” Nero cried out as she twirled on her toes and took in her surroundings. “The endless blue sky… The bleached white sands… Palm trees swaying in the wind… The invigorating taste of seaside air… Someone pinch me, for I fear I am suffering from a delusion! I cannot believe I am standing within the very realm of fantasy itself!”</p><p>“It’s not a dream! We’re really back!” Jack shouted happily and ran around with the equally elated Nursery Rhyme.</p><p>“Oh!? Is that…!?” Kintoki yelped and pushed Nightingale off of him to run up to the girls.</p><p>“It’s Golden! Heee~eeey, Goldeee~eeennn!” Nursery shouted, and they ran up to hug him together.</p><p>“Hey, kids! Y-You have no idea how happy I am… to see you guys!” he whimpered, and sniffled a few times.</p><p>“Tee hee hee! Are you crying?”</p><p>“No way! I… I just have… some sand in my eye! Yeah… Yeah, that’s it!” he objected as he wiped his eye.</p><p>“Nursery! Jack!” Boudica cried out as she and Mata Hari rushed in to hug them as well.</p><p>“Aunt Mattie! Aunt Boudie! Were you worried about us!?” Jack asked.</p><p>“Of course we were! How could we possibly enjoy our summer vacation knowing that you poor things were trapped inside such a dreadful beast!?”</p><p>“Well don’t worry! I dismembered any bad guys that tried to hurt us! I would do anything to both keep Nursery and Connla safe, as well as to come back to Mommy and all her friends!”</p><p>“Good girl! I knew you could do it! I should think about baking a nice big cake for you guys!”</p><p>“Yaay, cake! Cake, cake, cake, cake!” the children chanted happily, and the women giggled.</p><p>Kintoki looked around, noticing that Connla was still missing. He spotted Wu Zetian strutting out of Aspidochelone and approached to get a closer look. The empress unfolded a fan and waved it before her face as she murmured, “Mm… Mm, hmm! A little warm for our taste, but this scenery is most pleasant to behold. To think that we, of all the rulers who have come before us, are enjoying the privilege of witnessing the fabled land of sunshine and warmth fills us with great pride. Ahhh… Perhaps we should partake in wearing this thing called a ‘swimsuit’ and taking a nice dip in the water…”</p><p>“Connla! You’re safe too!” Kintoki ran up to Wu, snatched her petite waist with his large hands, and lifted her high off the sand. “You have no idea how much I was worried about you!”</p><p>“Wha-!? Unhand us this instant, you ruffian! Do you have idea who you are sullying with your filthy paws, you muscle-bound mutt!?” the empress squealed angrily.</p><p>“Whuh? Oh, sorry! I thought you were someone else!” he apologized and carelessly dropped her.</p><p>“Ow! Unngh… W-What is with this improper treatment!? We have half a mind to dunk your brainless cranium in a vat of bubbling hot poison!”</p><p>Kintoki ignored Wu’s complaining and asked Jack and Nursery, “Where’s Connla? Isn’t she with you guys?”</p><p>“No,” Jack shook her head. “She went to fight the bad god by herself.”</p><p>Nursery looked around in worry. “We thought she would be out here, but…”</p><p><em>“What!?”</em> Kintoki roared. “You’re kidding, aren’t you!? This is no time to be celebrating! If even one of you is missing, then I have to go and look for her! Big Bro won’t rest easy until he makes sure <em>everyone</em> is okay!”</p><p>“Calm down,” Emiya told him. “You’re still winded from using up so much magical energy and being blasted away by Enuma Elish. If you run around without a plan, you’ll wind up exhausting yourself before you can find her.”</p><p>“But-!”</p><p>Boudica grabbed Kintoki’s wrist and said, “I’m sure Cu Alter’s searching for her right now. Let’s leave her to him and take care of everyone here. Some of the Servants appear to be heavily injured, and we need all the help we can get to treat them. You’ll be a big help in making sure Nightingale doesn’t go too far with her treatment.”</p><p>“Ugh… Fine. But if that spiky jerk takes too long, I’ll go and search myself, exhaustion be damned!”</p>
<hr/><p>Cuchulainn Alter floated underwater, limp and unconscious. Once Enuma Elish struck Aspidochelone, the raging torrents threw him many miles away from the battle site. The tremendous G-forces caused him to black out for a while. While his sleep was devoid of dreams, the darkness felt strangely comfortable to him. The sensation of freezing cold water snapped him awake however, and bubbles escaped from his mouth as he tried to gasp for air.</p><p>He wasn’t too far from the surface, so he swam back up and inhaled deeply. Once he regained his composure, he looked around and found the headless Aspidochelone lying like a beached whale on the main island.</p><p><em>Good, it’s dead</em>, he thought.</p><p>He wasn’t really interested in Chaldea’s victory over the monster though. He thought he felt something tugging at him from deep below the ocean, so he dove back underwater and swam around for a short while. The peculiar feeling grew more intense as he got closer to whatever it was. Then he finally found something; a faint light that twinkled like a distant star. He thought that it was calling to him directly.</p><p>
  <em>“Se…ta…”</em>
</p><p>Cuchulainn narrowed his eyes, unsure if he heard a voice in his head or not.</p><p>
  <em>“Se… tan… ta…”</em>
</p><p>There was no doubt about it now – a masculine presence was beckoning him. He wasn’t sure if this was a trap, but he found it weird that they were addressing him by his childhood name.</p><p>
  <em>“Setanta…”</em>
</p><p>He kept diving closer and closer to the glittering light. Soon, he could finally make out that it was a radiant aura emanating from a little girl’s body. His chest seized up with dread as he immediately recognized her.</p><p>
  <em>Connla!</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>When Connla’s eyes opened, the only thing that registered in her mind was the gentle cerulean color of the ocean. Next came the sight of bright rays of sunshine piercing through the water’s surface. She couldn’t hear anything except for the water running past her eardrums. She didn’t have the strength to breathe, never mind move. She had no idea if she was floating or sinking, and she didn’t really care. Even though she was in danger of drowning, for some reason this beautiful underwater scenery made her feel at ease. Aside from the sunlight, her body seemed to shimmer with its own glittery vibrance.</p><p>
  <em>Is this what Cliste, Jack and Nursery were talking about earlier? About how my body was glowing for some unknown reason?</em>
</p><p>She wasn’t entirely sure, but felt certain that Lugh had some influence. She very much wanted to regain control of her arms and legs so she could swim back up to safety, but she simply didn’t have the energy. Just trying to escape from Aspidochelone as Enuma Elish decimated its head, plus the whirling sensation of being shot through the water like a torpedo, was brutal enough for someone of her small stature to withstand. She was way too exhausted to do anything except float there like she was in the middle of outer space.</p><p>
  <em>I guess this is it… So long as everyone else is okay, then…</em>
</p><p>As Connla was about to resign herself to death, that was when she noticed something large and dark moving in the water. She shifted her eyes over so she could get a better look. Something, or rather someone, was swimming straight for her at an alarming speed. She couldn’t make out their features at first, but once she saw the long spiked tail swishing around his back, she immediately recognized him.</p><p>
  <em>Father…</em>
</p><p>Cuchulainn finally reached Connla. She felt him wrap his arms around her, then the water rushed past them as he frantically rose to the surface. Shortly afterwards, they broke through and gasped for air. Connla coughed up water and struggled to regain her breath through agonizing wheezes.</p><p>“You okay?” Cuchulainn asked. She managed to open her eyes and look upon his ruby irises, but she couldn’t respond coherently. He muttered, “Good. Just stay still and focus on breathing.”</p><p>He looked around, realizing they were near one of Okeanos’ smaller islands. He gently swam toward the beach, making sure not to accidentally dunk Connla’s head back underwater. A short while later, his feet touched sand and he lumbered out of the ocean while carrying his tired daughter. He laid her down and did a quick inspection. She was breathing fine now, and there didn’t seem to be any injuries. In fact, he was surprised by the complete absence of her numerous scars that she was always afraid of showing, and was equally perplexed by how she was wearing a swimsuit he didn’t recognize.</p><p>Connla blankly stared at the sky, then moaned, “Is this… the outside?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Cuchulainn said. “Gilgamesh blew that monster’s head clean off. You must have been swept away by the explosion.”</p><p>“Mm…” she moaned, then gazed at the bronze necklace wrapped around her wrist.</p><p>He likewise inspected it. His expression quickly turned to shock as he murmured, “What the hell is this!? These idols are the same ones as Crom Cruach’s!”</p><p>“That was something… Crom Cruach gave me… after I killed him. A catalyst… for Master to… summon him.”</p><p>Anger welled within the Berserker, but he didn’t want to yell at her. If he did, he had a bad feeling she would misinterpret his concern for her as another bout of abuse like what Aife subjected her to. Yeah, he didn’t like that she fought one of the most dangerous gods in human history, but she came back from it alive regardless. How could he complain after she pulled off such a momentous feat like that?</p><p>Cuchulainn let out a disparaging sigh, then rubbed Connla’s head and grumbled, “Just… don’t do something that crazy again. If there ever comes a time when it’s better for you to wait for me, then you do exactly that, got it?”</p><p>“O… Okay…”</p><p>He sat down next to her and said, “It was a good thing I spotted you. For whatever reason, your body was glittering like a bunch of stars.”</p><p>“That was… Grandfather’s… influence.”</p><p>Cuchulainn shifted his eyes away, then snarled darkly, “Shit. Goddamn old man. Why’d you have to go and drag the kid into this?”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“Tch, whatever. The important thing is that you’re fine now. Go ahead and get some shut-eye.”</p><p>Connla lightly nodded, then closed her eyes and passed out after listening to the waves for a few minutes. The warm sunshine dried off the water clinging to her body, and the ocean breeze smelled so refreshing compared to the stale air she had been breathing while inside Aspidochelone. Cuchulainn felt rather tired himself, so he laid down next to her and watched her sleep before eventually blacking out himself.</p>
<hr/><p>Connla knew she was having another vivid dream.</p><p>However, this was not one where she fell into a different Connla’s mind and watched them live their life from the sidelines. She was definitely herself this time around. She found herself standing within an endless plain of golden wheat and sunflowers swaying in the wind. She never saw such a rustic and gorgeous place before, but a soothing calm washed through her, and she felt like she could build a country cottage and live here forever.</p><p>Connla heard footsteps behind her and turned around. A tall male stood there, garbed in traditional Celtic armor with a fur-trim mantle wrapped around his shoulders. His chest and arms bore numerous tattoos of Celtic knots and Runes, and he had various weapons strapped to his waist like a sword, a spear, a small shield, and a slingshot. What caught Connla’s notice was that his hair looked extremely similar to Cuchulainn Lancer’s, but was either darker blue or black in color. His facial features were more gaunt and chiseled compared to Cuchulainn’s smoother complexion.</p><p>“Who are you?” she asked him.</p><p>He just smiled lightly at her, refusing to answer her question right away. She grew nervous, but was sure this fellow wasn’t a threat to her. Soon, his smile vanished as he said, “Forgive me.”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“Because I was so weak, I put you through such a harrowing experience.”</p><p>“You mean… with Crom Cruach?”</p><p>“Yes. You must be so angry with me for using you. But I had no choice. My power is not as it once was, and Crom Cruach had spent so much time regaining his strength throughout the eras. I had to compensate by inhabiting a Servant’s body and guiding them in the right direction. Even more so since it was my own family I chose.”</p><p>Connla became quiet as she thought, <em>This man is…</em></p><p>She then fervently shook her head and replied, “I’m not angry. In fact, I’m actually kind of glad.”</p><p>“Oh?” the warrior murmured curiously.</p><p>“That I got to know another member of my family. All I ever had were Father, Mother, and my aunt Scathach. I felt so lonely, not being able to have siblings or cousins around my age to talk to.”</p><p>“I see. I knew all about you as you grew up, but I had long since vanished from the world and was thus unable to take action on your behalf.”</p><p>“Don’t say that. How would I have expected a dead man to do anything for me?”</p><p>The man chuckled. It sounded hearty, but also rather bitter. “I suppose so. It’s that rational logic and your fortitude that have carried you through the many trials you’ve faced. He he he… You sure do remind me of your grandmother Deichtine, especially with the color of your eyes.”</p><p>“My grandmother…”</p><p>The armored fellow then turned around and declared, “I fear my time here is short. My power will soon wane once more, and my influence over your Spirit Origin will disappear. You will return to your rightful Lancer class in due time. Yet, it would be a shame to allow your abilities as a Saber to vanish into the ether.”</p><p>He grabbed the stem of a sunflower, then used a knife to cut the flower off. He approached the girl, kneeled before her, and placed it in her hands as he said, “I will condense any power I have left into this memento. If you need to call upon my strength at any time, send your prayers through this flower. I shall do anything in my power to lend my assistance.”</p><p>She nodded. “I understand. I’ll keep it close to me…”</p><p>Her lip quivered, and her throat choked up as she started to cry a little. The wheat-filled dreamscape was beginning to break apart, indicating that she was going to wake up. She suddenly threw her arms around the man’s shoulders and hugged him tightly. He likewise embraced her as she exclaimed her last word in this dream:</p><p>“Grandfather!”</p>
<hr/><p>During the next 24 hours, the Chaldean Servants were busy guiding the formerly trapped Servants and civilians around Okeanos and explaining everything about the outside world. They also reported to Romani and Da Vinci about their success. While Connla’s testimony about Crom Cruach and his motivations were still missing from the report, Chaldea could officially declare the Fomorian Singularity resolved. Concern still lingered in the air about Cuchulainn Alter and Connla’s disappearances, yet Da Vinci assured everyone that their Spirit Origins were still intact.</p><p>A search party consisting of only Boudica and Mata Hari was dispatched to look for the lost duo. They had some navigational tools that Da Vinci made to aid their search, but they needed to investigate the eastern region of Okeanos in order to pick up their magical signatures. Throughout the entire night, the women carefully scoured any landmasses, no matter how small they might have been, in the hopes of finding their allies. Their exhausting search was eventually rewarded when the device picked up a pair of Spirit Origins lying stationary on a sandy stretch of sand directly east of Pirate Island.</p><p>Mata Hari steered the boat toward the beach. Boudica inspected the area with her binoculars. She quickly let out an elated gasp and shouted, “I found them!”</p><p>They moored the boat, then hopped out and ran along the sand towards Cuchulainn and Connla. They would have called out to them, but stopped themselves when they saw the most charming sight ever – that of father and daughter sleeping in identical poses on their sides. Moreover, Connla held a brilliantly blooming sunflower in her hand. The women didn’t want to disrupt their friends, so they lightly giggled at each other and took some photos of the pair.</p><p>“This is just too precious!” Mata Hari chuckled as she reviewed her photos.</p><p>“I know. We’ll have to pick a good one to print out later,” Boudica agreed.</p><p>Although they tried not to cause a commotion, their muffled laughter was enough for Connla to stir awake, and she opened her eyes to find the two women flocking around her. She wearily sat up, yawned and stretched. Boudica implored, “Take it easy, honey. You look really waterlogged.”</p><p>“L-Lady Boudica…” the girl moaned while rubbing her eyes.</p><p>“Are you all right?”</p><p>“I’m not feeling 100%, but that nap certainly helped. I know Father saved me from drowning after Lord Gilgamesh killed Aspidochelone, but everything else is a total blank. Is everyone else okay? Is Aspidochelone dead?”</p><p>“Yes, it is,” Mata Hari said. “The opening left behind on the monster’s neck was large enough for the survivors to escape through.”</p><p>“What about Jack and Nursery?”</p><p>“Kintoki is looking after them. The rest of us are being flooded with questions about the outside world from the people who were trapped inside the monster. I tell you, it’s total pandemonium back at the base camp. Gilgamesh and Da Vinci realized that you and Cu Alter were the only ones who had not come back yet, so they sent me and Boudica to search.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s such a relief to see you again!” Boudica yelped and threw her arms around Connla. The little girl’s face was practically buried beneath the British queen’s cleavage, bewildering her as the lady added, “Now that we know you’re safe, we can finally put this whole thing to bed and enjoy the rest of our summer in peace!”</p><p>“Y-Yeah.”</p><p>Mata Hari joined in the hug-fest, and her breasts likewise swarmed Connla’s face as the spy crooned, “Let’s get you back home and prepare a nice big meal for you. What would you like for dessert? Ice cream? Popsicles? Shaved ice?”</p><p>“Uh… um…”</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Boudica retorted. “You know she doesn’t like sweet things! She would sooner eat a whole mound of zucchini than take even a tiny nibble of cake!”</p><p>Mata Hari laughed, “Oh, that’s right! Silly me! I’m so used to the children begging for treats that I have to remind myself of how different Connla’s tastes are!”</p><p>“Ah… I can’t… breathe…” the child Servant gasped.</p><p>Just then, she felt a large hand grab her small arm and pull her away from the two women, freeing her from the stifling atmosphere that was their combined cleavage. Cuchulainn held her close, then glared at the women and muttered, “How long do you plan on sitting there and squealing like a couple of high school brats? I was having a nice dream until you came along and ruined it.”</p><p>“Sorry about that!” Boudica exclaimed. “We were so relieved to see Connla that we forgot to keep it down!”</p><p>“Damn it. So we’re the only ones unaccounted for?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Mata Hari nodded. “Master said that she’s going to Rayshift here with Mash and some other Servants to help out. I bet they’ll be happy to see that everyone is back together.”</p><p>“Is that right? Guess we better haul our asses back to the base pronto.”</p><p>Connla slowly got up and murmured, “Master and the others were away on their own vacation. I hope we didn’t… make her worry… too much… Whoa!”</p><p>Cuchulainn caught her as she lost her balance due to a sudden bout of vertigo. He picked her up and grumbled, “Geez, take it easy. You must have expended a lot of magical energy fighting against Crom Cruach. You’re in no condition to be running around for a while.”</p><p>“Mm…”</p><p>She gazed languidly at the mysterious sunflower in one hand, and the bronze-jeweled necklace wrapped on her other wrist, as the other Servants brought her over to the boat. The trip back home didn’t really register in her mind as she thought about the Fomorian god she defeated, the man in her dream, and of the gifts they both left behind for her. Everything happened so quickly that she didn’t have much time to ponder about it until now.</p><p>Without saying a word, she pinned the flower next to her hair bun to keep it safe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Farewells and Welcomes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>27: Farewells and Welcomes</strong>
</p><p>Half a day had passed since Mata Hari and Boudica left the main island to go search for their allies. The majority of Chaldea’s Servants were busy helping the people recover from their ordeals inside Aspidochelone. Romani and Da Vinci also offered to arrange for new sailing vessels to take the humans away from Okeanos to their home countries. This meant that three separate fleets were being organized to carry the civilians either to Italy, India or China, depending on which faction they belonged to. It would take about a month for preparations to be complete, and since it was the first day of August, it gave everyone plenty of time to enjoy the rest of summer on Okeanos. It also presented an opportunity for those formerly trapped inside the Phantasmal to realize that they truly were in the ‘mythical realm’ of blue skies and sunshine that was the outside world.</p><p>At the moment though, one Servant stepped away from this pell-mell and sat at the edge of the old pier cross-legged and with his arms folded. Gilgamesh panned his crimson eyes along the vast stretch of ocean, while a series of shimmering gold portals opened up and cast a variety of fishing rods on his behalf. He wasn’t really fishing because there was a need for food, though he wouldn’t complain about eating freshly caught fish for himself. It was more to pass the time as he waited for Mata Hari and Boudica to return with Cuchulainn Alter and Connla.</p><p>Since neither Connla nor Mata Hari were around to cater to his every whims, and everyone else was too busy taking care of the survivors, he was forced to fend for himself. He wasn’t too interested in assisting with the efforts, even so much as ignoring all of the treasure still lying inside Aspidochelone’s stomach. He had plenty of time to investigate that later. It was more important to him that he made sure every last one of his vassals returned home.</p><p>Gilgamesh remained quiet this whole time, hardly celebrating when he reeled in another large trout. As he hooked another piece of bait on the line, he noticed something white moving along the blue horizon. It grew larger by each minute, and he used a pair of binoculars to observe. Indeed, it was the boat carrying the four Servants, who were now returning to base camp. He stood up and glared as Mata Hari drove closer to the pier, then moored the boat and hopped off with a flighty step.</p><p>“We’re baa~aack!” she chirped merrily. “We managed to find them safe and sound!”</p><p>“Is everything else fine back here?” Boudica asked.</p><p>“… Yeah,” Gilgamesh muttered, clearly disinterested in the conversation. He instead stared at Cuchulainn as he stepped onto the pier carrying the exhausted Connla. Although she wasn’t asleep, she was obviously teetering between staying awake and passing out. The Sumerian king approached them and asked, “How fares the runt, Mad Mongrel?”</p><p>“She’s a little out of it, but still alive,” Cuchulainn said. “If you’re thinking of barking orders at her, then save it for another time. She may need a full week before she’s back to normal.”</p><p>“I see…”</p><p>“Hm? What’s wrong with you? Getting fed up that everyone’s too busy to be bossed around by you?”</p><p>“Still your tongue, beast. I’m not so incapable that I cannot manage my own affairs. I simply needed to ensure that every last one of my retainers are still fit to serve me, if not now, then at a more appropriate time. Now that it is no longer a concern, I can concentrate on investigating Aspidochelone’s innards and adding anything of value to my collection. Not that I have much faith I’ll find much, considering that Crom Cruach would take even garbage as a suitable proffering for his sordid services.”</p><p>“So what you’re saying is that you missed having the kid around.”</p><p>Gilgamesh’s cheeks flushed red, and he angrily snapped, “Imbecile! To imply such an outrageous thing means you think she is a friend of mine! Preposterous! There is only one I consider my friend and equal, and I lost him all those millennia ago! The runt is just my replacement for Siduri! Nothing more, nothing less!”</p><p>“Is that right?” Cuchulainn smirked lightly. He calmly walked past the irate king and muttered, “Suit yourself then. I’m gonna be taking care of the kid for a few days. Don’t think about trying to order her to do something unreasonable for you, or things might get a little… <em>unpleasant</em>, if you know what I mean.”</p><p>“Hmph. You make it sound like I have zero common sense…”</p><p>As Gilgamesh watched the Celtic hero leave, he heard Mata Hari and Boudica giggling behind him. He glared back and snapped, “What are you mongrels laughing about!?”</p><p>Boudica held the camera up and replied, “We got your blushing face on film! You really missed Connla that much, didn’t you!?”</p><p>“We can’t wait to show it to everyone else!” Mata Hari exclaimed.</p><p>“Wha-!?” Gilgamesh reeled in total shock, then lividly pointed at them. <em>“If you fools have time to be playing around, then bring that fish back to the cabin this instant! And prepare me a gourmet paella with Chardonnay while you’re at it!”</em></p>
<hr/><p>The next time Connla opened her eyes, she found herself sitting atop a tree stump situated inside an overly familiar apple orchard. The sky continuously painted itself an assortment of pastel colors, and the air felt unusually heavy around her. She sat up and looked around, realizing she had returned to the Kaleidoscope by accident. If she was here, then it meant her otherworldly counterpart had to be nearby as well.</p><p>“Geal!” she heard her own voice call out.</p><p>Connla found her friend, Connla Cliste, running toward her from the orchard. She set the basket of apples down and sat next to her. Cliste asked worriedly, “Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?”</p><p>“No, I’m fine,” Connla Geal replied, then gazed at the multicolored sky. “Why am I back here?”</p><p>“You must have been so exhausted from your fight against Crom Cruach that you triggered another Imbas Forosnai dream. But I thought it would be a shame if you slept through the rest of your summer vacation, so I caught you before you could make contact with another one of our selves. I’ve been waiting for you to regain consciousness before sending you back to your world.”</p><p>“So you saw that battle against him?”</p><p>“Not just that. I witnessed your entire adventure, just as I promised before.”</p><p>“Right…” Geal murmured. Cliste had saved her back when Aspidochelone swallowed her, Jack and Nursery. It had slipped her mind this entire time, and only now was she remembering that conversation. She completely forgot that Connla Cliste had watched everything unfold through her eyes.</p><p>“What a harrowing experience that was,” Cliste said. “I was getting worried there for a while, but I knew you would pull through. If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we inherited Father’s stubbornness. Still, it’s kind of hard to believe you defeated one of the most dangerous Celtic gods, <em>and</em> that you managed to obtain a catalyst for your Master to summon him.”</p><p>“I’m not sure I can comprehend it either…”</p><p>“Say, why <em>did</em> you make that bargain with Crom Cruach anyway? What were you thinking, trying to turn your enemy into an ally for Chaldea?”</p><p>“Huh? Well…” Geal twiddled her fingers. “Let’s just say I had a passing idea and wanted to give it a try.”</p><p>“What is that supposed to mean?”</p><p>“Just wait and see. I don’t want to ruin all of the surprises right now.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s nice. Trying to play coy with your two-time savior, are you? He he he he!” Cliste playfully giggled.</p><p>“Then just keep observing through my eyes. You’ll find out eventually.”</p><p>“I think I will. And be sure to thoroughly enjoy your summer, you hear? I haven’t been able to go outside for almost five decades, you know. It’d be nice to experience the beach just this one time.”</p><p>Geal widened her eyes in concern. “Five decades…?”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. Just get going already. You don’t wanna sit around here all day, do you? Come on, let’s go!”</p><p>Cliste pulled Geal off the tree stump and brought her to the area where the latter felt the presence of her sleeping body the strongest. Her feet lifted off the grass, and she stared back at Cliste as her hooded counterpart waved good-bye. Soon, the orchard vanished from Geal’s view as her mind returned to her proper body. As she departed though, one thought kept bothering her very deeply:</p><p>
  <em>Unable to go outside for 50 years?</em>
</p><p>She thought of Cliste and her warm smile. It was difficult to imagine that she could be so pleasant when she was in such a mysterious circumstance.</p><p>
  <em>Just what is going on with you in your world?</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Back in her world, Connla gradually woke up. The first thing she felt was some kind of cool sensation wrapped around her body. Although the air was hot and dry, the ice-cold towel covering her like a blanket felt very refreshing. She laid in a reclined position, which meant she was relaxing outside on a beach chair. Next came the sounds of playing children, chatting adults, sizzling meat on the grill, and splashing water. She opened her eyes and saw a large beach parasol blocking out the sun’s oppressively bright rays. She looked around and saw sand and ocean everywhere.</p><p>Sitting next to her on a folding chair was Cuchulainn Alter, who guzzled down another can of beer while keeping an eye on the barbecue. The smell of cooked meat wafted Connla’s nostrils, and only now did she realize how awfully hungry she was. Her stomach rumbled, and she murmured in embarrassment, “Uh…”</p><p>“Hm?” Cuchulainn finally noticed that his daughter was awake. He leaned in and muttered, “’Bout time you came to.”</p><p>“What do you mean? How long was I out this time?”</p><p>“Just a couple of days. We thought you’d be having another one of those dreams, but Sigurd and Zhuge Liang inspected you and believed that wasn’t the case.”</p><p>“Well… I kind of was close to having one, but Cliste…”</p><p>“Cliste?”</p><p>“Uh, I mean… I managed to find my way back.”</p><p>“So you have a little more control of yourself while in that state?”</p><p>“Not quite, but it’s getting there.”</p><p>“Good. You couldn’t have woken up at a better time. Emiya told me to keep an eye on lunch, and it looks to be ready,” Cuchulainn said as he brought the plate of steaks over to the table. He then helped Connla up and brought her over as he said, “I also got some more good news. Master’s going to be coming here with additional Servants in the next hour or so.”</p><p>“Really?” she wondered. “What for? Hasn’t everything been resolved by now?”</p><p>“We still gotta sort things out with the survivors. The kids might be having fun, but the adults are hopelessly lost about what to do next. Everyone in Chaldea is doing what they can to help out.”</p><p>“Sounds like quite the mess. I should do something to hel-“</p><p>“No, you’re not. Killing Crom Cruach is more than enough for you. Your job is to rest for the remainder of the month. You need to be in top shape for when the Seventh Singularity is discovered.”</p><p>“Oh… I suppose so…”</p><p>Although Connla sounded dejected about not being able to assist with the others’ efforts, she knew that Cuchulainn would be angry if she tried to overstep her bounds, especially when she was still very tired from her battle. She needed to learn to pace herself and wait until he was satisfied before going back to her usual routine. She thus sat at the table and ate plenty of meat and grilled vegetables that Emiya prepared. She was particularly happy about getting to devour her favorite meal of all – roasted and lightly seasoned Brussel sprouts. Of course, many of the other Servants couldn’t understand how she liked them so much, but she didn’t care.</p><p>During lunch, Connla was welcomed back by all of the Chaldean Servants who were worried about her condition over the last 48 hours, and were collectively relieved to see her up and about. She took this time to explain everything that happened when she met Crom Cruach and fought him, detailing everything from his motives, how he was a Pseudo-Servant of Kuzuki Soichirou, and how she temporarily Ascended into an adult to fight him more effectively.</p><p><em>“You became an adult!?”</em> Cuchulainn snapped. This last revelation was what astonished him the most. He slammed his palm on the table and shouted, “How, when, and why did <em>that</em> happen!?”</p><p>“Like I said, Grandfather used his power to perform a short-term Ascension on me…”</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me that earlier!? If I had known, I would have made you sleep for even longer! Who knows what kind of strain that kind of transformation put you through!”</p><p>“Really, I’m all right. I think Grandfather was taking on most of the burden so I didn’t have to.”</p><p>“Shit… Shit, shit, shit, shit! Goddamn it, old man! First you turn her into your Pseudo-Servant, and then you forcefully age her into an adult!? If I ever run into that bastard, I’ll chop him into pieces if it’s the last thing I do!”</p><p>“Please calm down,” Connla implored. “He might have acted hastily, but that’s because he needed to settle his feud with Crom Cruach before he could potentially destroy the Vatican as his revenge. Besides, I’m happy that I got to know Grandfather, even if it’s just a little bit. He really did everything he could to make sure I was okay, and that I developed my abilities as a Saber along the way. It’s not like he just changed my Spirit Origin and left me to figure it out by myself.”</p><p>“Ghhh… Are you sure about this? Lugh basically used you as a pawn for his game against Crom Cruach.”</p><p>“I’m used to it.”</p><p>Cuchulainn paused. He couldn’t believe she would say something so grave like it was a typical thing for her. He sighed and shook his head in dismay. It was only becoming apparent now that he had a <em>lot</em> of work ahead of him if he wanted to break her habit of being so self-depreciative. He took her hand and made her walk along the beach with him, then said, “Fine. I won’t be upset about it anymore. Just one thing though.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“You’re not a pawn anymore. You’re free and independent from Aife’s control. Don’t go thinking you need to act prim and humble all the time because of her influence. And for the love of god, stop saying shit like you’re used to being treated as a pawn, or that you only find your self-worth in working yourself to death. It infuriates me to no end.”</p><p>“Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful of what I say around you.”</p><p>“Ugh… No need to apologize. It’s just a habit of yours,” Cuchulainn grunted.</p><p>They continued walking for a while, wanting to get away from the noise and insanity of so many people running around them. As they were about to reach the end of the beach and go back though, they thought they heard some kind of peculiar sound. They thought it was a dolphin at first, but dismissed it since they couldn’t see any marine life swimming around nearby.</p><p>“…iiie!”</p><p>“Hm?” Connla looked around, thinking that someone was calling her name. That was when she discovered a crowd of new people rounding the bend, and she immediately recognized Ritsuka and Mash in their swimsuits. The one who was shouting in the distance however was Medb, who now wore a layered white and black bikini and did her hair up in twin pigtails.</p><p>“Cuchulainn! Connla!” Ritsuka shouted happily. “Boy, am I glad to see you guys!”</p><p>Mash added, “We heard what happened! I’m so sorry we couldn’t have come to help you guys! We were busy dealing with another incident of our own with Mordred, Anne, Mary, Tamamo and the others.”</p><p>“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Cuchulainn replied.</p><p>The overly giddy Medb ran towards Connla and threw her arms out while squealing, “Oh Connie, my sweet, sweet little knight! I missed you <em>SOOO</em> much! Come here and give Auntie Medb a big kiss on the cheek!”</p><p>The child Servant would have obliged, but suddenly found herself suspended high in the air for some reason. Cuchulainn’s large tail had coiled around her petite torso and lifted her before Medb could jump in and joyfully tackle her down. The pink-haired lady instead crashed face-first into the sand, which made the others cringe from how painful it must have been for her.</p><p>“Give the kid a break, Medb,” he grunted bitterly. “She’s still tired from her ordeal.”</p><p>Medb practically yanked her face out of the sand, quickly wiped herself clean, then pouted, “Hey, no fair, Cu! I wanna snuggle Connie all day long until she’s blue in the face!”</p><p>“Not happening.”</p><p>“Just a little bit! Oh me, oh my, the poor baby must have been so scared without me around! She’ll feel much better if she got some cuddles from her surrogate mom!”</p><p>“I doubt you even crossed her mind at any point.”</p><p>“Come on, put her down already, you big bully!”</p><p>She tried to reach up to snatch Connla’s legs, but Cuchulainn kept swaying his bewildered catch back and forth so the queen wouldn’t be able to touch her. He folded his arms and said, “No means no, woman. Get lost already. Go do your stupid photo shoots or whatever.”</p><p>“Boo. If that’s how you’re going to be, then I’ll do just that! I’ll have my Good-Looking Braves shoot the best photos in the world! Then I’ll coat them in my special White Honey Eau de Toilette and make copies for you and the other Cus! Hee hee! Just you wait! It won’t be long before you are intoxicated by my celebrity charm, my king!”</p><p>“Keep dreaming.”</p><p>Medb gave up on catching Connla and ran off to look for any men whom she could convert into her latest admirers with her enhanced Charm abilities. Cuchulainn huffed deeply and growled, “That wench… If she’s not bad enough as a Rider, her Saber variation is even more airheaded than usual.”</p><p>“Um, Father?” Connla whimpered quietly.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“I don’t mean to interrupt, but, um… Could you, uh… put me down already?”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“…?”</p><p>“… Nah.”</p><p>“Ehhh!?” she cried out, her cheeks flush with embarrassment. He began to walk along the beach away from where Medb took off, all while still carrying Connla with his tail. The little girl struggled to break free and shouted, “You’re kidding, right!? Everyone’s laughing at me! Come on, let me go! This is so embarrassing!”</p><p>Ritsuka, Mash, and several Servants who saw them were indeed chuckling at the bizarre sight. Cuchulainn remained perfectly stoic despite the cheerful atmosphere as he grunted, “You’re still tired. Let’s take a dip in the hot spring so you can relax.”</p><p>“I don’t need to! I’ve rested plenty enough!”</p><p>“I’m the one calling the shots with your health, not you. You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.”</p><p>“Give me a break!”</p><p>“That reminds me, I should find you an inner tube. Wouldn’t want you to drown, after all.”</p><p>Connla pouted, “Seriously, Father. I don’t need one.”</p><p>He grinned, stared her directly in the eye, and remarked, “Then you don’t mind if I keep on using my tail as a substitute?”</p><p>“Uuuh… Fine, I’ll use one…”</p>
<hr/><p>Two days later, Connla woke up from another power nap and decided to take a short walk. Of course she was going to take Mini-Cu with her – Cuchulainn Alter demanded that she keep the plushie with her at all times so she could summon him at a moment’s notice. Other than that, he promised not to hover over her too much so that she could relax without worrying about him. Mini-Cu hugged Connla’s arm like a koala grabbing onto a tree as she stepped outside and looked around.</p><p>Moored to the pier in the distance were three large ships, each adorned with flags and imagery of Italy, China and India respectively. Connla murmured, “Boy, Ms. Da Vinci sure didn’t waste time getting things ready.”</p><p>“I’ll say,” Mini-Cu grumbled. “I heard that the Servants who led the factions are going to depart with their citizens to make sure they reach their homes safely.”</p><p>“So we’ll have to say good-bye to Emperor Nero, Lady Wu, Lady Parvati and their followers soon,” the child Servant said, then tilted her head curiously. “But that still kind of leaves Lord Lucius, Miss X and Sir Beowulf. I wonder what they plan on doing afterwards.”</p><p>“Wanna go find out? I think they’re busy hauling treasure out of Aspidochelone.”</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>She strode along the beach at a brisk pace, making sure not to tire herself out. The gigantic Phantasmal’s corpse was impossible to miss. Its headless corpse remained splayed all over the opposite end of the shore, and there were ramps constructed at the base of its exposed neck so that the treasures inside its stomach could be transported out more easily. It would take some time before Aspidochelone lost its form and disintegrated into pure mana, so everyone wanted to work fast to claim the riches. Connla wasn’t really interested in the treasure, although she was somewhat delighted to see everyone’s smiling faces as they brought out gems, coins, and other valuables. She spotted Lucius barking at Beowulf and Ashwatthama, accusing them of trying to steal what he thought was rightfully his, and the trio got into a severely heated argument. She opted not to bother them for now and looked around for Heroine X.</p><p>“Well, well,” she heard a familiar voice call out to her. “Good to see you’re not lazing about like the other mongrels. What brings you here, runt? Has the appeal of easy treasure tickled even your immature fancy?”</p><p>“Hm?” she glanced over and spotted Gilgamesh approaching her. She shook her head and said, “Not really. I just wanted to talk with Lord Lucius and the others to see what their future plans were. I guess they’re too busy to waste time with me though. I’ll try again some other time.”</p><p>“Ah, so you haven’t heard yet?”</p><p>“About what?”</p><p>He grinned. “The Magus whom we’re contracted with agreed to allow those three mongrels to join Chaldea.”</p><p>“Really!?” Connla yelped. “So Lord Lucius, Sir Beowulf and Miss X are all going to stay with us!?”</p><p>“They have already made their contracts with the Magus. Although I am not keen on adding such rambunctious Rogue Servants to my roster, the one called Lucius seems quite insistent on hoarding all of Aspidochelone’s bounty for himself. Since he has graciously agreed to conscript himself as part of my kingdom within Chaldea, it thus means the goods he procures are likewise mine by default.”</p><p>“That’s strange. I thought you’d be the first to be rushing inside and personally adding everything you could to your coffers.”</p><p>Gilgamesh snorted in disgust, waved his hand dismissively, and grumbled, “I didn’t want it.”</p><p>Connla blinked. “Eh?”</p><p>“I have no interest in sullying my treasury with anything that has made contact with that foul demon’s innards. You may as well tell me to turn my storehouse into a garbage dump. For that reason, I will allow Lucius to lay claim to it – his tastes are obviously far inferior to mine.”</p><p>“But I thought you were eager to collect as many treasures as you can.”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous. Just because something is labeled a ‘treasure’ doesn’t always mean I will seek it out.”</p><p>She mumbled to herself, then said, “I guess I have a long way to go before understanding how you think, Lord Gilgamesh.”</p><p>“That goes without saying,” he replied with a grin. “A bumpkin who grew up in the rural mountains has no place to judge how the world’s oldest king manages his immeasurable wealth. Well, I will give you points for trying. There were some things that caught my attention, but in the end I only took one object of interest.”</p><p>“Which one?”</p><p>He opened a golden portal, and a heavily jeweled regalia dropped onto his palm. He showed it to her, and she cried out in amazement, “Oh! These are the Irish Crown Jewels!”</p><p>“They need some polishing up, but I’m sure they’ll be in good hands with you.”</p><p>“W-What do you mean?”</p><p>Gilgamesh rested the medal in her hands, then turned away and muttered, “It’s your reward for all of your efforts.”</p><p>“You’re… giving it to me? Oh, I can’t take this! They’re way too precious!”</p><p>“Don’t get so excited. It’s just a worthless bauble to me.”</p><p>“You don’t understand! Everyone in Ireland will be overjoyed if I brought this back to Dublin Castle!”</p><p>The King of Heroes grew more displeased, and he snapped, “Gah! Just how clueless are you, runt!? I did not bequeath them to you just so you could go play errand girl for your country! They belong to <em>you</em>, and only to <em>you</em>!”</p><p>“But… I couldn’t…”</p><p>“Then think of it this way. If you rushed to Ireland and returned them, then the course of human history would change. Though it may be but the flapping of a butterfly’s wings to you, any slight alteration in Proper Human History may wind up having potentially disastrous consequences. As we are Servants of Chaldea, our prerogative is to protect humanity from any alterations in history. We are thus mandated not to cause such disruptions in the first place.”</p><p>Connla tilted her head curiously. “You think so?”</p><p>“I know it for a fact. As we are currently in an aberrant timeline, you could say that those crown jewels are a replica of the real ones that are still currently missing.”</p><p>“Hmm… You have a point…”</p><p>“Thus, since you displayed such an interest in them earlier, I decided to allow you to be their rightful owner. Those mongrels can fight over the rest of the junk as they please, but if they attempt to take your prize away, inform me immediately so that I can punish them for their insolence.”</p><p>“Okay. I’ll make sure they’re safe,” she nodded. “But it must be disappointing for you, having to contend with this incident without taking any of the treasure for yourself.”</p><p>Gilgamesh shrugged. “The entertainment was enough for me. It’s not every day I get to have this much fun eliminating a threat to humanity. Hoarding mountains of treasure is easy, but it is worthless if I am bored doing so.”</p><p>“I see. I’ll have to make a note of that.”</p><p>“Now then, once I have had my fill of laughs at those mongrels’ expense, I will return to my chambers. Be a good steward and prepare me a bottle of wine ahead of time. You should at least be well enough to do that.”</p><p>“Is there a particular kind you want?” Connla asked.</p><p>“Hmm… A Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc paired with roasted sole sounds delectable about now.”</p><p>“I’ll see what I can do. If you’ll excuse me.”</p><p>The young Servant returned to the cottage, and the king watched her leave. He then heard two females arguing with each other, and looked over to find Nero ordering some soldiers to haul out the remains of Heroine X’s spaceship, which had been repurposed as Nero’s Noble Phantasm. X shouted demands at Nero to fix her ship, and the emperor berated her for being so impatient and not understanding her aesthetics, or something to that effect. Complicating matters was how Nero’s Noble Phantasm wound up expending all of the precious Altrium that X had spent so many years collecting, and the Assassin was <em>not</em> in a good mood about it.</p><p>“Fwa ha ha ha,” Gilgamesh laughed to himself as he watched Lucius, Beowulf and Ashwatthama struggle to keep the two women from killing each other. He took notice of how X looked exactly like Artoria Pendragon – or at least her default Saber variant – and he remarked, “Well, it’s not that much of a total waste. At least I have a new Saber to pick on for a while.”</p>
<hr/><p>The final week of August soon arrived, and all preparations for the survivors’ journeys were complete. Each sailing vessel’s crew were all taught about seafaring techniques by Chaldea’s experienced pirate Servants, so there was no worry of anyone being lost during the voyage. Nero and Elizabeth would personally guard the Italian ship; likewise with Wu Zetian and Li Shuwen with the Chinese ship; and the same with Parvati, Ashwatthama and Medusa with the Indian ship. There would be no accidents or further threats to the civilians so long as the Servants were around to protect them.</p><p>Now, it was time for them to leave. Mash gazed intently at the Italian ship as Nero and Elizabeth boarded, then wondered to Ritsuka, “I hope they’re going to be okay. If I’ve learned anything from my travels with you, it’s that those two aren’t exactly the best Servants to pair with each other.”</p><p>“I’m sure everything will be fine. All we can do is pray for everyone’s safety… and their eardrums,” the young Mage uttered sheepishly.</p><p>With that said, the Indian ship had already taken sail and gradually vanished into the western distance. Parvati waved to everyone for as long as she could until Okeanos was out of sight. The Italian ship was next, shoving off the pier about an hour later. The Chinese ship would depart last, but there was something Wu Zetian wanted to take care of first.</p><p>As her summoned Kuli carried her in a palanquin covered in elegant silk curtains, she commanded them to stop so she could step out for a moment. The empress found Connla standing in the crowd and approached her, then said, “You there.”</p><p>“Hm? Is there something you need?” the little girl wondered.</p><p>“Just so we are clear… well, we… We are not allowing your little stunt against us to slide…”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Are you seriously that daft? We refer to when you slapped our cheek!”</p><p>“Oh, that… I’m sorry. I guess I was so frustrated that I got carried away. I really did want you to understand the truth though, so…”</p><p>“Well, we <em>might</em> forgive you if you decide to leave this Chaldea organization behind and join us as our personal retainer.”</p><p>Connla immediately shook her head. “I’m afraid I can’t. My place is with Master.”</p><p>“Is that so? How disappointing that you would choose such rabble over us. But that cannot be helped. If there are other unsavory characters like Crom Cruach causing such trouble for humanity, then it is your sworn duty to put an end to their schemes. If you do that, then we shall call it even.”</p><p>“Of course. I might be Master’s weakest Lancer, but I’ll still fight to my utmost. If there’s one thing I cannot stand, it’s letting anyone down. Now that you’ve also vested your faith in me, I’ll have to work even harder.”</p><p>“Very good. That is what we like to hear,” Wu smiled. “Then we are satisfied. If we are to ever see each other again, then we pray it will be in more favorable circumstances, Cuchulainn Lily.”</p><p>Connla paused. She remembered how the alternate Wu called her counterpart Cu Lily, and of how they fought Minotaur together in that particular dream. In that moment, it felt like they were reuniting with each other, if only in spirit. Connla watched quietly as Wu returned to her palanquin and commanded her soldiers to carry her aboard the ship. Soon, the vessel pushed off the pier and sailed off towards China, gradually vanishing into the horizon.</p>
<hr/><p>On the last day of the Chaldeans’ summer vacation, Connla sat at the beach by herself and observed the vibrant sunset as it slowly but surely descended upon the horizon. The waves rolled softly, momentarily lulling all of her thoughts and worries away as she fully took in this moment, intent on remembering it for the rest of her life as a Servant. Deep down, she also hoped that Connla Cliste or some other Connla from an unknown parallel world was watching this as well. She believed that at least one of her other selves could enjoy the same fleeting peace she was experiencing, so she kept her eyes trained on the blood-red sun and the darkening yet colorful skyscape.</p><p>“Connla,” she heard Ritsuka’s voice nearby, and the girl looked over. The young Magus approached and leaned over her while asking, “Watching the sunset?”</p><p>“Yes. So much has happened that I just wanted to take a moment to relax by myself.”</p><p>“I’ll bet. But you really shouldn’t be alone like this. Who knows how Cu Alter would react if he found out something else happened to you.”</p><p>“I suppose so. I just want to see the last of the sunset, then I’ll go help pack up.”</p><p>Ritsuka sat down next to her young Servant and smiled, “Let’s see it together. Once summer ends, I’m sure things will go back to being hectic as usual.”</p><p>“Mm. But at least you now have Lord Lucius, Sir Beowulf and Miss X to help you with the Seventh Singularity, whenever that might be discovered,” Connla said, then murmured in realization and added, “By the way, there’s a favor I want to ask of you, Master.”</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>The child Servant took out the necklace with the 12 bronze stones and presented it to her. “This is a catalyst that a certain Servant gave to me.”</p><p>Ritsuka grew curious. “A certain Servant?”</p><p>“He and I made an agreement that if I defeated him, he would relinquish his freedom and be summoned as your Servant. This is the catalyst he said would guarantee that he’d be summoned.”</p><p>“You defeated him? Then does that mean the Servant in question is…?”</p><p>“Crom Cruach.”</p><p>The Mage stared at the necklace hesitantly. “Are you sure about this? He’s known as an extremely dangerous god who must be sustained through sacrifice. He might have some trouble getting along with the Christian Servants as well.”</p><p>“If you’re that worried about it, then I’ll keep an eye on him.”</p><p>“Hm… Well, I suppose enlisting one more Pseudo-Servant wouldn’t hurt. Do you know what class he would be summoned into?”</p><p>“He told me that he materialized into the Assassin class. The man he inhabited, Kuzuki Soichirou, was also raised from childhood to be a killer. I bet that’s the reason why Crom Cruach chose him to be his vessel – they’re both entities that revolve around others using their powers of death for their own benefit.”</p><p>“I see. Then let’s give it a try.”</p><p>Ritsuka created a summoning circle, then placed the necklace in the center and raised her arm high while chanting, “Heed my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call and obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning! I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world, that I shall defeat all evil in the world. You seven heavens, clad in the three great words of power, come forth from the circle of binding. Guardian of the Scales!”</p><p>An intense flash overwhelmed their vision, and they had to squeeze their eyes shut for a moment. When the wind and light died down, they peered at where the summoning circle once was. In its place was a familiar tall man with short black hair and a gaunt, vapid expression. He wore an asymmetrical black coat that had buckles wrapping around his exposed chest, and bore a steel pauldron on one shoulder.</p><p>“Servant, Assassin. True Name, Crom Cruach. I have responded to your summons,” he announced quietly. “You had best handle me with care, Master. If you seek to use my power for good, then I must be given a sacrifice of equal worth in exchange. If I am not sustained through such rituals, my power will subsequently wane, which will make me assisting you all the more troublesome.”</p><p>Ritsuka frowned and scratched her chin. “Oh boy. This could get a little complicated. Sacrifice is something I have a strong distaste for.”</p><p>Connla said, “Don’t worry. I’ve got an idea in mind.”</p><p>Crom Cruach’s eyes shifted in her direction, and he curiously asked, “Is that so?”</p><p>“Why don’t you and I go back to Chaldea ahead of everyone else? I’ll get you sorted out there.”</p><p>“Very well.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Charming Little Scheme</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“August Harvest”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter </strong>
  <strong>28: Charming Little Scheme</strong>
</p><p>August was now officially over. Life quickly returned to normal in Chaldea once the calendars changed to September. Anything and everything that had been brought over to Okeanos had to be packed up and returned to the facility, especially if the staff and Servants didn’t want anyone from Proper Human History to stumble upon any technology beyond their comprehension. Likewise, the Caster-class Servants banded together and used their magic to forcefully disintegrate Aspidochelone’s corpse into mana that would return to the World in due time. Now that any and all traces of Chaldea’s presence were removed from Okeanos, the Fomorian Singularity could be declared resolved.</p><p>On the first day of September, Connla gave Crom Cruach a tour throughout Chaldea. It became readily apparent that he wasn’t fond of areas with large crowds or loud noises, and that he preferred quiet spots like the library, study hall, and the meditation chamber. As she showed him the classroom, he gazed languidly at the chalkboard. He felt compelled to hold a piece of white chalk betwixt his fingers and stare at the dark green board.</p><p>
  <em>What is this strange sensation I am experiencing? Some kind of nostalgia?</em>
</p><p>“Is something wrong?” Connla asked, noticing that he wasn’t fully paying attention to her.</p><p>“It’s nothing. No need to concern yourself,” Crom Cruach muttered and put the piece of chalk down, then thought, <em>Must have been a subconscious reaction from my vessel.</em></p><p>He followed the little girl through the halls, and she opened a small phone to speak with someone for a few minutes. He heard her murmur, “Hello? Yes, it’s me. Am I allowed to pay you a visit right now? … No, no, I don’t think he’ll cause you any trouble. … I understand how you feel, but please don’t rush to conclusions. Not every male is like that. … Yes… Yes, I know… Yes, of course. I’ll bring him with me shortly.”</p><p>She hung up, and he asked, “Who were you speaking to?”</p><p>“We’re a little short on spare rooms at the moment, so I asked a particular Servant if she could let you board with her temporarily. We’re going to go meet her so we can see if she’ll be comfortable with you. She has some trust issues, so it was hard to convince her to go along with this.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>Crom Cruach followed Connla through the dormitory halls until they reached a particular room. She rung the door chime and said to the voice comm, “We’re here. Could you let us in?”</p><p><em>“Just a minute,”</em> a woman’s voice replied. About 30 seconds later, the door slid open, revealing the lady Servant to be the Witch of Colchis, Medea. Her hair looked slightly matted, and she didn’t have her makeup on. She looked a little irritated, but remained cordial with Connla as she said, “You’re early. I still haven’t tidied up my sculpting atelier, you know.”</p><p>“I don’t think he’ll mind,” the Lancer replied.</p><p>Medea’s eyes shifted upward until they met Crom Cruach’s, and her cadence immediately changed. Her sour mood disappeared, and her eyes widened slightly as she scrutinized this gaunt fellow standing before her. A small, “Oh,” escaped her lips. He didn’t react to her presence whatsoever.</p><p>“Can we come in?” Connla asked.</p><p>Medea snapped out of her reverie, and she uttered, “Ah… O-Of course.”</p><p>She guided the pair inside her room. It was a large single room divided into several distinct areas such as the kitchen, recreational lounge, bedroom, and a workshop for crafting figurines and clothes. Medea patted the couch down and gestured to Crom Cruach, “Please, make yourself at home. I’ll get some tea ready.”</p><p>He sat down, then murmured, “No need to rush on my account. I can always come back at a more favorable time.”</p><p>“No, no, it’s no problem at all. Things have just been a little hectic ever since I helped remove Aspidochelone from Okeanos. Now that that’s taken care of, I can go back to my usual routine.”</p><p>“Is that so? Then it is fine. More importantly, there’s something I need to discuss with you.”</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“Connla tells me that you are proficient with craftsmanship. I believe this may be what I need to sustain my power as an Assassin-class Servant.”</p><p>The mage raised her eyebrow and wondered, “I’m not sure what you mean.”</p><p>His eyes met her curious gaze, and she blushed slightly. She looked down at the brewing kettle to hide her bashfulness from him. He didn’t seem to notice as he said, “As you may be aware, I am Crom Cruach, the god of bounty and sacrifice from Celtic lore. My power… Nay, my entire existence revolves around the concept of sacrifice. The more sacrifices that are made, the greater my power will be in turn. However, the Master of Chaldea’s reverence for human life causes conflict with my inherent nature. As Chaldea does not condone human sacrifice, this means I have to seek an alternate source of offerings if I am to maintain my strength as a Servant.”</p><p>“You think I can help with that?” Medea asked.</p><p>“It depends,” Crom Cruach replied, then looked over at the atelier and inspected the figurines she was in the middle of working on. “Merely on first glance, I can sense that you pour much love and effort into your craft. If I were to destroy your works on a regular basis, this should prove sufficient enough for me.”</p><p>“Wha…”</p><p>Her heart practically seized up when she heard this. She almost dropped the scalding hot kettle onto the ground as she ran over to the workshop and snapped, “I can’t let you do that! Making clothes and statues are the only things I have! Because I’m known as the Traitorous Witch, practically no one wants to be associated with me! I can’t just make stuff knowing that it’s going to be destroyed anyway!”</p><p>“Calm yourself,” he assured. “I wasn’t referring to your primary projects. If you harbor that much attachment to your creations, then I will not damage them. That I promise.”</p><p>“Oh. Then, what might you be referring to?”</p><p>“Let me see… For instance, if you were to make little dolls out of scrap material, or if you were unsatisfied with a piece you were working on, then destroying those would be satisfactory. The point is that your effort would not be going towards aesthetic appeal, but rather sustaining my existence as a god of sacrifice.”</p><p>Medea murmured to herself for a moment. “That could be troublesome… I always think carefully about what I’m going to make, planning everything even down to the last detail. I absolutely hate screwing up on my projects, so things like scrap material and bad designs don’t really happen that often.”</p><p>“I see. Then perhaps relying on you for assistance may not be such a good idea,” Crom Cruach said and began to get up.</p><p>“W-Wait a second!” she blurted. “I <em>could</em> adapt to suit your needs, if that’s what you want. I mean, I could always set aside some time to make junk dolls out of fabric that you could burn. I just wasn’t expecting to hear such a request, so I might have reacted a little hastily. I’d have to fix my schedule, but I can most certainly do that for you, if that’s what you so wish.”</p><p>He nodded lightly, then said, “There’s no need to rush. There are still plenty of other sources of sacrifice that I can channel upon. Your offerings would simply function as boosters for myself should the time come.”</p><p>“So you’d want a doll or two to destroy for some battle?”</p><p>“More or less.”</p><p>Her sour mood vanished and she flashed a genuine smile. “My goodness, why didn’t you say that earlier? I’d be more than happy to help. But, what other sources of sacrifice might you be talking about? You’re not going to go sabotage other people’s work, are you?”</p><p>“That’s hardly necessary. Just the very existence of so many Spirit Origins is enough for when I am idle.”</p><p>“Spirit Origins?”</p><p>“Indeed. So many of you Servants have had to make tremendous sacrifices in your lives to be recognized by the Throne of Heroes. In particular, I am drawn towards those classified as Anti-Heroes, or those whom society judges to be ‘evil’ in nature. Such Heroic Spirits were treated with little to no respect during their lifetimes, then hypocritically called monsters after they lashed out against this cruel, unfair world.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“I do not believe that humans are born evil in nature. Rather, they are fashioned to be such through the abuse, neglect, misguiding, and selfishness of others around them. My Spirit Origin is designed to recognize the suffering that such heroes have endured and draw strength upon them. Their happiness and dignity were sacrificed to fit humanity’s petty desire for a ‘good versus evil’ narrative, where humans designate themselves as ‘heroes’ to slay the ‘villain’ that they crafted themselves. The ‘villain’ could be anything from a vengeful god, a violent monster, or a black-hearted witch.</p><p>“I have seen it over and over again; Medusa, Tamamo no Mae, Asterios, Elizabeth Bathory, Abigail Williams, and even yourself, Medea. All of you were denied the right to live as humans, instead being branded as evils that needed to be taken down. Therefore, my Spirit Origin takes in the suffering that you all continue to endure and transforms it into power. The effect is usually minimal, although I can open myself up to take it all in at once if needed. It may cause exhaustion to your Spirit Origins though, so that is why I seek material offerings to compensate.”</p><p>“I see…” Medea whispered. She never thought she would get to meet someone who actually understood the misery she went through in her life. She thought no one would ever get to know the real Princess of Colchis, only associating her with her continuous treachery towards everyone around her. At the very least, her attack against Jason and his wife during their wedding, and the murder of the sons she had with Jason afterward were most certainly her own doing. She would accept penance for that, at least.</p><p> As far as betraying her own loved ones though, she found it much harder to associate herself with those crimes when she wasn’t the one in control. Even so, humanity deemed her a witch for it regardless. It was a much simpler narrative for people to understand; that the horrible witch turned against everyone she made contact with, and thus should be considered dangerous. Medea was disgusted with such narrow-mindedness, but that was just how humanity operated. They forced her into a role she didn’t want, and she had to play it regardless, even as a Servant.</p><p>This was why she felt incredibly relieved to hear that Crom Cruach acknowledged her for who she really was and what she went through. If the suffering she endured during her life could give strength to him, then perhaps it wouldn’t be as much of a waste as she thought.</p><p>Crom Cruach noticed Medea’s continued silence and asked, “Was there something unsatisfactory I said?”</p><p>She shook her head, then sat down next to him and murmured, “Not at all. I was just reflecting on my life a bit. Honestly, it’s just so tiring to be called a witch over and over again. I wish someone would see me as an ordinary woman… But I know that’s just wishful thinking. I was the daughter of Aeetes, owner of the Golden Fleece. I was bound to be targeted anyway, if not by Jason, then by someone else.”</p><p>He remained silent. Even now, he could feel her anguish radiate from her Spirit Origin into his. This was nothing new to him though. He was used to experiencing others’ sorrows, to the point that he didn’t really know what actual happiness was. Even when he fought against Connla, he felt the intense pain and suffering she tried to hide from everyone, which immediately dispelled any potential hatred he might have had for her disrupting his plans.</p><p>“This is why I can’t stand pretty-looking men,” Medea muttered bitterly. “They’re always flash and no substance. I swear, it’s even harder to get around in Chaldea because Master keeps summoning such men all the time. For crying out loud, is she trying to build an army of Servants or a bloody harem?”</p><p>Crom Cruach could see why Medea was so thoroughly disgusted. He had heard rumors of the hero Jason’s beauty and bravery, but judging by the sorceress’ reaction, he could tell that this was not entirely the truth. Out of curiosity, he spoke aloud to Connla, “Is this what you meant when you said ‘not every male is like that’ to Medea earlier?”</p><p>He didn’t receive any response. He grew puzzled and looked around for the child Lancer, but she was nowhere to be found. He raised his brow, wondering why she would take off without a word. He narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow, thinking back to the bargain he made with her during their fight.</p><p>
  <em>You crafty little devil. You were plotting for me to meet with Medea this whole time, weren’t you?</em>
</p><p>“Is something wrong?” Medea wondered.</p><p>“… No. It’s nothing.”</p>
<hr/><p>“Phew,” Connla huffed to herself as she left Medea’s room. Once the two engaged in their serious conversation, she quietly excused herself and made her way back to her own quarters. Her ploy, however spontaneous it was, managed to work – she successfully paired Crom Cruach, or rather his vessel Kuzuki Soichirou, with Medea.</p><p>The idea came to her after recalling how Fuyuki Connla witnessed that Medea’s brutal death right in front of Soichirou. The shock still affected Chaldea Connla somewhat, and she always wished there was some way she could make it up to all three of them. Now that she got Crom Cruach boarded up with Medea here, Connla felt satisfied that she had done what she could, and she would leave the rest up to them. Whether or not Crom Cruach would pick up on her little scheme was another matter, but she figured it wouldn’t be a big deal down the line.</p><p>“That’s everything done and dusted,” she murmured to herself and pressed the button to slide open her door.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Fwa hah hah hah hah hah!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“Heeek!?” she yelped when she heard a familiar laugh bellowing from inside the room. She regained her composure and found both Lucius and Heroine X engaged in some sort of debate. The Roman Procurator was the one responsible for the sudden laugh, and Connla barked at him, “What do you think you’re doing, Lord Lucius!? Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?”</p><p>“Hm? Ah, the little hero returns!” Lucius declared boldly. “Perfect timing! Help me out here, will you? I wanted to recruit you for some training in the simulator, but X here wants to drag you along on some ridiculous adventure to find that Artorium stuff or whatever.”</p><p>“For the final time, it is <em>AL-TRI-UM!</em> Get it through your thick skull, dumbass!” Heroine X shouted.</p><p>“Artorium, Altrium or Aluminum, it’s all the same worthless junk to me. No need to involve someone as worthy as Lugh’s descendant when she could be honing her skills alongside a real hero like myself!”</p><p>“Oh yeah? Well that ‘worthless junk’ is what I need to leave this watershed planet! I can’t gather so much at once, but with her speed and agility, the collection process will go by much more smoothly!”</p><p>Connla rushed in and exclaimed, “Would you two calm down already!? We’re not going to get anywhere by screaming at each other’s faces like this! Besides, there are plenty of Servants in Chaldea who can help you out. Why are you guys arguing over me like this?”</p><p>“Are you kidding me? If I’m to organize a top-class scavenger party, then it should be comprised of the best heroes that Chaldea has to offer, and you are most certainly one of them!” X retorted.</p><p>“While I’m inclined to agree with your assessment of Connla’s abilities, I will have to stand firm against utilizing her as some kind of commonplace anteater!” Lucius rebuked.</p><p>“Anteater!? Is that Roman wine getting to your head, Tiberius!? I need her as a dowsing rod! If anyone can bring good fortune to those around them, it’s her!”</p><p>“I don’t care what you call her. A real hero doesn’t need to go on such a pathetic hunt when she could be assisting me in my quest for everlasting glory and fame! Think about it! What’s better, plucking weird little hairs off the ground, or slaying a dragon that’s hoarding a mountain of treasure?”</p><p>“Now you look here, buster!”</p><p>“Geez!” Connla pouted, unable to figure out how to settle this argument. “Would you quit squabbling already!? I feel like I’m dealing with little children!”</p><p>Off in the corner of the child Servant’s bed, Mini-Cu sat there and watched the debacle in silence. One look at her miffed expression was all he needed to quietly grin to himself.</p>
<hr/><p>In the Kaleidoscope, Connla Cliste woke up from her month-long sleep and stared at the colorful sky. A light smile crept along her lips, and she couldn’t resist giggling a little. She had just detached her consciousness from Chaldea Connla’s psyche while she was trying to deal with Lucius and Heroine X’s argument. Cliste would have stayed longer, but something kept distracting her, so she opted to wake up and see what was wrong.</p><p>She sat up in her bed and inspected her hands. For some reason, they felt unusually tingly… No, not just her hands. Her entire body didn’t feel right. It was as if every nerve and blood vessel was going through paresthesia, or the gripping sensation one felt when their limb ‘fell asleep’. Her body jerked uncontrollably as she struggled to regain her regular mobility. The strangest thing was that Cliste was not a physical being, but a psychic projection of herself being transmitted into the Kaleidoscope. Why would she experience a physical reaction when she didn’t have a physical body to begin with?</p><p>Cliste knew the answer though. Her smile disappeared. She thought of her counterpart, and of her summer adventure. Her expression grew wistful as she stared at her opened hand.</p><p>
  <em>Geal… Thank you for letting me watch your journey. It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had in a long time. But…</em>
</p><p>Then, just for a split second, her hand unexpectedly fizzled like television static.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t have much time left. I probably won’t last long enough to make it to the next summer.</em>
</p><p>The girl sighed, then laid back down and closed her eyes.</p><p>
  <em>All I can do now is pray… that you won’t see me at my worst.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>AUTHOR’S NOTE: That’s another one wrapped up, folks. As I said in my Author’s Note at the end of <em>Brothers in Destiny</em>, I will be working on the other story that was not chosen from my little poll for the seventh story. This will be the <em>Fate/Zero</em>-esque one with loads of tragedy and hard decisions, since there seems to be a growing demand for Connla to go through a ‘bad ending’ of some kind. I prefer happy endings, but I won’t ignore a potential demand either. The original concept has radically changed since BiD, but I hope to capture the spirit at least.</p><p>This will take some planning though, so I need a few months off for that and to recoup from writing this one. This was a much harder story to write due to the pandemic throwing a monkey wrench into everything, but I think I managed enough. Let’s pray that 2021 will be a better year for everyone, and I will see you sometime then. Take care, and stay safe!</p><p>- Benit149</p>
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